Hyperdimensional Player

Chapter 164 The Wheels Lay Flat! The False Emperor Must Die! (9,000 words)
Sifang Avenue.

With the sound of cavalry hooves, the great King of Britain, Duncan, arrived in his loyal Paris.

Beneath fluttering banners, Duncan's imposing figure appeared, surrounded by hundreds of personal guards. A magnificent black warhorse raised its head high, and everyone along the way couldn't help but erupt in thunderous cheers. Nobles and commoners alike bowed their heads in respect, while enthusiastic Frankish maidens scattered flower petals across the streets. Even with guards trying to shoo them away, many passionate barbarian girls still crowded around to get a better look, unabashedly displaying their youthful and vibrant beauty.

Everyone knows that King Duncan of Britain has no children yet. Although he is still very young, the growing empire needs a legitimate heir.

Now it's a matter of whose belly is more cooperative.

The Franks were the most Romanized Germanic branch. They later established the Church as their state religion and gained its support, contributing significantly to the rise of the Frankish Kingdom.

The current situation is no longer something Anya can suppress by vying for favor, because the procession welcoming Duncan's victorious return includes not only Frankish nobles with their wives and daughters, all dressed in their finest attire, but also people from the British provinces who have brought many of their younger and more beautiful female family members.

Even the Raven Queen Triss, who was not far away, felt a little helpless, because the polytheistic priestesses around her were also eager to make their move, but they could only secretly send her flirtatious glances because they were afraid of her authority.

Young, valiant, handsome, with a distinguished military record, possessing immense wealth, a powerful army, and supreme power, he is highly likely to ascend the throne as emperor in the future.

All these factors combined mean that Duncan was relatively restrained; otherwise, he would have been overwhelmed by the ladies and young women. At the last celebration party, dozens of self-assured women crowded around him, but he didn't even get a chance to say a word.

When you possess supreme power, beauty is merely a seasoning in life.

Governor's residence.

Queen Lysinia greeted Duncan upon his triumphant return. As she gazed at the cheering crowds in the distance, she was momentarily lost in thought, for these were all things that her former husband, Valentinian III, could only dream of but never attain.

Whenever Aetius the Protector returned victorious, and the Roman people cheered and celebrated in welcome, Valentinian III would show a hint of longing and envy.

She didn't quite understand before, but after this period of wandering, Queen Lysinia suddenly understood.

She even longed to stand beside that man, to enjoy the moment of being the center of attention, and to be greeted by the cheers of the crowd.

To use a phrase from later generations to describe it.

It doesn't matter who becomes the emperor, but she wants to be empress, or at the very least, have her daughters ascend to the throne.

Thinking of this, Queen Lysinia couldn't help but glance behind her. Her eldest daughter, Princess Eudoxia, had a gleam in her eyes; this grand scene seemed to excite her, and her gaze towards the man revealed a hint of admiration and worship. Although she was the eldest princess, she had never truly experienced such a scene, because Valentinian III had no military achievements and it was almost impossible for him to receive cheers from the Roman people.

Princess Placidia, standing to the side, appeared rather quiet. She was a serene lady, and although her eyes also shone slightly, she was not as excited or ambitious.

The mother and her two daughters had been in Paris for some time.

Clearly, Queen Lysinia herself had little chance, as she had already tried, but the age gap and other factors undoubtedly led to her being rejected. From all perspectives, her daughters were undeniably more suitable, as both daughters possessed royal blood from both the Eastern and Western Roman Empires.

Compared to her quiet younger daughter, Princess Placidia, the eldest daughter, Princess Eudoxia, is more proactive.

But taking the initiative is useless.

She had very few opportunities to see Duncan, and even when she took the initiative to see him, she was refused because she was busy with official duties. On the contrary, Princess Placidia, who had always been quiet and unassuming, was highly valued. Not only did Anya take care of her daily life, but even Queen Raven-Triss made time to see her several times.

Queen Lysinia also had a political sense; she knew that her youngest daughter actually had a better chance and seemed less threatening.

At this time, Duncan had already arrived at the governor's residence amidst a large crowd.

Queen Lysinia was about to step forward to greet them, but someone beat her to it. Queen Raven Triss was not present today, but stood at a distance and watched quietly. Anya took the lead, Queen Lysinia followed half a step behind, and then the two young princesses.

For a moment, many eyes fell on the beautiful Anya, who stood proudly like a peacock, head held high, adorned with flowers, welcoming the attention of the crowd. Only when she reached Duncan did she kneel down to greet the King of Britain upon his return.

Duncan looked at the proud Anya, smiled, his gaze gentle and slightly indulgent. He turned to look in the direction of Raven Queen Triss, nodded slightly, and then reached out to take Anya's fair and slender hand in his.

In an instant!
A deafening cheer erupted.

The generals following Duncan looked thoughtful; they now knew that Anya's position was unshakeable, regardless of whether she had children or not.

Oathkeeper Duncan will not lose his affection for Anya because of this, because Anya stands out from the crowd based on her achievements.

Anya's face flushed with excitement, and her body trembled slightly as she listened to the cheers of the crowd around her.

She absolutely loves this kind of scene!
Duncan always gave her everything she wanted, and didn't even mind letting her share in the glory that belonged to the king.

Queen Triss never contested such occasions, nor did she enjoy appearing in front of the public. But no matter how many times Anya appeared in front of the crowd, she still had to bow down before Queen Triss.

No one can challenge the Raven Queen Triss; even Anya has to obediently submit.

Queen Lysinia fell into deep thought as she watched the scene unfold before her.

Unconsciously, she fell half a step behind, gesturing to her two daughters beside her, and they followed behind Duncan and Anya. This was an attitude, an attitude of being dependent on others. Anya wanted to prove something, but she wouldn't compete, because the time wasn't right.

But if Princess Placidia is chosen to take the throne, then she will have to fight for her daughter's position to some extent, so that she is not completely overshadowed by Anya and that the three of them are neglected and looked down upon.

Now that the Visigothic Kingdom has suffered a crushing defeat, Duncan has completely seized control of European dominance.

The Eastern Empire was severely weakened by the Huns, and the Hunnic Empire also disintegrated. The Visigothic Kingdom was the dominant power in Europe. Defeating them meant that hegemony was transferred to the Kingdom of Britain.

Their next step was to attack the Italian peninsula, kill the false emperor, and reclaim the empire's supreme power.

But no one cared about the false emperor's army, because after a series of upheavals, the imperial army was increasingly inclined to support Duncan. Aetius and Valentinian III died one after another, and Maximus and the Imperial Senate had no military achievements and could not control the grassroots level of the army at all.

If an officer could be parachuted in and command the army, then the imperial power of ancient times would be unbreakable.

Once war breaks out, many people within the imperial army will defect.

Inside the Governor's residence.

Duncan spread his arms as the maid beside him removed his armor. Anya watched him with a beaming smile, as if she had prepared some surprise for him, her face full of eager praise and flattery.

At that moment, a maidservant approached quietly and whispered in Anya's ear, "Queen Lysinia requests an audience with the Governor."

Anya narrowed her eyes slightly upon hearing this and said calmly, "The Governor needs to rest."

"Send her away."

Anya didn't care much about the two young princesses, but she was quite wary of Queen Lycinia, who was quite shrewd.

Returning from the great battle.

Several young and beautiful maids prepared hot water, and Duncan comfortably soaked in it. For a moment, steam swirled around him, blurring everything in his vision. This place wasn't like Bath; it didn't have top-notch thermal baths, and the baths were simply temporary structures built according to Roman tradition.

A splashing sound of water rang out.

Duncan heard several light footsteps, but he didn't pay any attention to them. Anya sometimes arranged little surprises to add to the fun. He had been leading his cavalry on a long march of thousands of miles, and at this moment he just wanted to clear his mind.

Soon, Anya stepped into the bath, lay down beside him, and hugged a strong arm to her chest.

As Duncan was embraced by her warm and soft body, he felt completely relaxed and lazily lifted her full buttocks with one hand.

Anya loves riding horses, especially galloping on horseback.

But today seemed a little different, because Duncan heard the sound of water approaching from both sides, and then four limbs wrapped around and clung to his thighs, the full, white skin gently rubbing against him, making him let out a comfortable sigh.

Anya always manages to come up with something new for him. It has to be said that Aphrodite's esoteric practices are indeed quite elaborate, no wonder there were so many decadent and depraved tyrants in the early days of the empire.

Enjoy it for what it is.

Aphrodite's cult must be severely suppressed; not even the slightest hint of it can be tolerated. Duncan has the willpower not to become addicted, but the future emperor may not be so. It must be said that Duncan's mindset is already shifting towards that of an emperor. He can enjoy himself because he is confident in his self-control, but if such an influence infiltrates the court, it will be a tremendous blow to the empire's fate.

After Anya, there will be no more Aphrodite's cult.

Pampering is one thing, but it's another.

Separate arguments.

Ripples spread across the bathwater. Duncan felt a warm embrace envelop him. He slightly opened his eyes, glanced at the misty pool with a surprised expression, turned to look at Anya, only to see her smiling meaningfully, and then closed his eyes again.

Anya lay prostrate on Duncan, her fingers stroking his muscular chest, and breathed softly, "Severus is almost possessed."

"He even went to the Sanctuary of Avalon to seek the help of the guardian fairies."

At this point, Anya, looking like a fairy, pitifully said, "I dare not eat alone anymore."

"His Majesty."

"You should spread your love evenly."

There's too much pressure on Anya now, and her pregnancy is failing her, so she has no choice but to give in. As long as Duncan's favor remains, she will adjust everything herself and even take the initiative to arrange replacements.

Upon hearing this, Duncan opened his eyes, his breathing slightly rapid. He felt as if his body was being lifted up, floating on the water's surface. Every part of his body felt like it was covered in white jade, as if countless ants were crawling over his entire body. The water rippled like a lamb licking salt. Such comfort was indeed easy to become addicted to, which further strengthened his determination to suppress the Aphrodite cult.

This esoteric Buddhism is too focused on sensual pleasure.

Duncan reached out and gently stroked Anya's charming profile, saying slowly, "I'll figure something out."

In fact, Duncan also had some doubts about his fertility.

He possesses the blood of both dragons and giants, both mythical bloodlines that make it difficult to conceive offspring. If his tireless efforts day and night are insufficient, he will have no choice but to seek offspring through unconventional means.

For now, we can only try as many things as possible, and if all else fails, we'll try to find a solution through supernatural means.

………………

With the end of the great war in the Gallic provinces.

The situation across Europe also underwent a dramatic change. First, the Ostrogoths revolted, defeated the Huns, and reclaimed their former lands, showing signs of restoring their kingdom. Had history followed its original trajectory, the Ostrogoths would have completely destroyed the empire twenty years later, deposing the subsequent emperor.

In reality, the empire existed in name only after the death of Valentinian III.

The Hunnic Empire was now fragmented, with many peoples conquered by the Scourge of God attempting rebellions, and the flames of war had spread all the way to the Eurasian steppes. This gave Duncan an opportunity to reclaim lost territory, significantly reducing the difficulty of regaining the province of Pannonia.

The Eastern Roman Empire seems to have recently changed emperors, and their current stance is unclear. After the Balkans were ravaged, the Eastern Empire was severely weakened, with only the area around Greece remaining relatively prosperous.

However, the situation in Italy took Duncan somewhat by surprise.

Because of a huge deviation in history, the Vandals actually showed signs of uniting with the false emperor Maximus.

What kind of joke is this?
The original history was that Queen Lysinia attracted the Vandals' covetousness and invasion, but the current situation is that the false emperor Maximus wants to form an alliance with the Vandals for help.

He's gone mad; he's even inviting nomadic tribes.

"Maximus secretly sent someone to inform the Vandal leader."

"It seems that the marriage between Princess Eudoxia of the Empire and their prince will not be able to be fulfilled."

Quintus brought firsthand news: the Roman court was a sieve. He glanced cautiously at Duncan and said, "The Vandals are furious upon hearing this."

"They have always had their eyes on the Italian peninsula and the Mediterranean."

"Now that they have an excuse, they will definitely intervene."

"I'm afraid it won't be long before the Vandals' envoys arrive, and they'll probably demand Princess Odoxia from you, sir."

Valentinian III really left a mess everywhere.

It's one thing that he was engaged to Aetius, but to also be engaged to a Vandal is truly baffling.

Duncan pondered for a moment, then said in an unquestionable tone, "Demand Princess Eudoxia?"

"Don't even think about it!"

It wasn't that Duncan considered the two princesses as his own possessions, but rather that the marriage between the Vandals and the imperial family was something he absolutely could not tolerate from any perspective.

Although the Vandals seized Carthage in North Africa, their rule was not secure. By marrying the princess, they gained a semblance of legitimacy through marriage.

Duncan is not going to let them establish themselves.

Valentinian III's only political legacy is Queen Lysinia and her two princesses—a legacy of bloodline that absolutely cannot be touched by anyone else. Duncan will not give any outsiders a chance, lest barbarian leaders emerge in the future claiming to possess the legitimate bloodline of the Empire.

No matter how incompetent Valentinian III was, he still reigned for nearly two or three decades, and it was troublesome for his bloodline to flow out.

The bloodline of the previous dynasty is a sensitive issue for any emperor.

Quintus bowed respectfully upon hearing this and said, "If the Vandal envoy comes to Gaul to demand that we fulfill our marriage agreement..."

"How should we deal with this?"

Duncan said calmly, "Send it back."

"The engagement is null and void."

If all else fails, then let's settle things on the battlefield; this marriage agreement is impossible to fulfill.

Quintus cautiously said, "After the Vandals captured Carthage, they possessed a powerful fleet. I'm afraid that in their rage, they might plunder the area around the Mediterranean."

“If we refuse, they will probably join forces with Maximus.”

fleet?

Duncan pondered for a moment and said, "I have my own plans."

Although Britain at that time did not have the naval power of later generations, it had British and Saxons under its command, so it was not afraid of naval battles at all.

The Vandals were a nomadic people, and Duncan didn't believe their fleet could be that strong.

Quintus quickly bowed and took his leave.

Duncan now understands why emperors prefer to use treacherous officials: they are intelligent, capable of many tasks, and can take the blame. As long as they are controlled, they are more useful than others. However, Quintus is unlikely to rise to a high position. He has the political stain of murdering Aetius, and as long as that remains, he will be a target for criticism for the rest of his life.

By this time, Duncan had already exonerated Aetius.

He publicly acknowledged Aetius's achievements and intended to exonerate him in order to win over the support of the imperial army and reduce resistance during the invasion of the Italian peninsula.

A week passed quickly.

The Vandals actually dared to send envoys to demand Princess Eudoxia and insist on fulfilling their marriage agreement, which only shows that the ambitious Vandals were always looking for opportunities to expand their power and territory. Duncan immediately ordered the envoys to be driven away, then deployed defenses along the Rhine River. After the first war reparations from the Visigothic Kingdom were received, he immediately led a large army to attack the Italian peninsula, intending to kill the false emperor and destroy the Senate.

However, he still needed to leave some troops behind to deter the Visigoths, so he only led five main legions, plus auxiliary legions, which totaled a force of just over ten thousand men.

The attack on the Italian peninsula was almost entirely unremarkable.

Before Duncan could even personally go to the battlefield, Barton and Galavin had already reached the outskirts of what would later become Milan. Along the way, imperial troops surrendered, and some even defected on the battlefield, rapidly expanding their army to nearly 20,000 men.

Maximus mobilized troops to defend Ravenna, but unfortunately the Senate lacked control over the lower ranks of the imperial army. After only one night of confrontation, most of the soldiers deserted.

Duncan entered the Italian peninsula without lifting a finger.

Nowadays, he no longer needs to personally command such wars. Maximus and the Senate are like meat on a chopping board, only able to struggle and jump around in their death throes.

Central military camp.

"Should we take back Pannonia?"

Severus looked at the map before him and said slowly, "If we want to take back Pannonia, we must deploy defenses along the Danube River."

"If we can conquer this area, we will have recovered most of the empire's territory."

Duncan's expression was serious as he said in a deep voice, "The river defenses must be reclaimed. Only by taking back the Rhine and Danube can we prevent the barbarians from moving south."

"Otherwise, we'll be constantly on the move, and our borders will be invaded all the time."

Queen Raven Triss seemed thoughtful upon hearing this and said softly, "Are you planning to restart the field army?"

Historically, field armies gradually declined due to excessive military expenditures.

This was a significant military reform in the later period of the empire, deploying Imperial Garrison Legions on the borders, similar to the garrison at the Great Wall, somewhat like a military settlement system, building up production corps. Normally, the Imperial Garrison Legions could withstand small-scale barbarian invasions, but their fighting strength became somewhat insufficient against powerful enemies.

After all, the garrison corps was reorganized from the militia.

At that time, it was the turn of the highly mobile field army to take the stage. The Imperial Field Army had a large number of horses and vehicles. Relying on the convenient transportation of the four major roads, they could directly let the enemy in to encircle and annihilate them. Historically, they had achieved many victories and could be considered as the first-class elite of the empire.

The biggest drawback of field armies is their high maintenance costs.

Duncan nodded slowly and said, "Not just the field army, I also plan to assemble a highly mobile cavalry force composed of Sarmatians."

"Set up beacon towers along the way."

"In case the barbarians launch a large-scale southward invasion, we can react in time to prevent them from plundering the area."

The most disgusting thing about the era of barbarian invasions was not the struggle for territory, but that they would run away after they had plundered it. The empire's territory was relatively rich, and they, like the nomadic peoples of later generations, would come to plunder from time to time.

Without military presence, they could seize the area near the Alps and then swagger back.

In a head-on confrontation, the British Legion was not afraid at all.

But the barbarian invasions were not for fighting; their ultimate goal was to plunder money, food, and women.

The defending side is always on the defensive.

However, it is not realistic to launch a campaign into the remote and impoverished Greater Germania at present. We can only station troops for passive defense. If we had a highly mobile field army, we could react quickly and annihilate the barbarians if they came to raid from the south.

Once a few successful encirclements and annihilations are achieved, and thousands or tens of thousands of people are killed to establish authority, the southward-bound barbarians will be hesitant to act rashly.

If necessary, a 10,000-person Jingguan (a traditional mound of people) can be built on the border.

The responsibility and duty of an emperor is to ensure that the people live in peace and prosperity. Duncan's plan to rebuild the empire made the constant barbarian raids on the borders a joke.

If we can't fight our way through, then we'll kill!

Keep killing.

We will fight until the barbarians are terrified.

Severus said slowly, "It's feasible."

"The Third Army Corps, the Sixth Army Corps, and the Seventh Army Corps can all be converted into field armies."

"Many of them had some riding skills."

The most important point about a field army is that it must consist of mounted infantry, and they must be elite, because the number cannot be too large, and they must be able to fight, so that any enemy that is let in will be crushed.

The empire's expenditure on maintaining one field army could have supported three regular legions.

Duncan calculated that although he spent less, he still had to spend twice as much on military expenditures, and could only maintain a force of four to five thousand men at most.

at this time.

A sound of horses' hooves rang out, followed by a messenger rushing in, reporting, "Your Excellency the Governor!"

"Milan has surrendered."

"This is intelligence from Rome; the Vandal army seems to be making some moves."

They actually dared to come!
Duncan took the intelligence report, his expression a half-smile, and slowly said, "Understood. You may leave."

The barbarian leaders who made their mark on history were all first-rate ambitious individuals.

In 442 AD, Rome finally recognized the Vandal Kingdom's rule over most of North Africa. The Vandals then established the Vandal Kingdom, continuing to expand their territory in North Africa and conquering western Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and the Balearic Islands, among other islands in the western Mediterranean.

They didn't defeat the Visigoths back then, but they regained their confidence in North Africa.

The noobs are fighting each other.

If they couldn't defeat the Huns, the Franco-François, or the Visigoths, how could they possibly be no match for the empire's local garrisons and the native North Africans?

Maximus is really desperate; they even dared to bring in the Vandals. Aren't they afraid these barbarian nomads will plunder Italy?

The current situation is somewhat similar to that of the late Tang Dynasty, when nomadic tribes were invited to join the war and promised to plunder Chang'an. Later, they changed their target to plunder Luoyang. In the end, they burned, killed, and looted in Luoyang. The fire burned for dozens of days without being extinguished, and the entire city of Luoyang was reduced to ruins.

The empire had a long tradition of using barbarian armies to wage war and promising to plunder the land, but Maximus went even further.

In fact, Duncan's guess was correct.

Because the Vandal army looted nearby towns immediately after entering the Italian peninsula, which is an old tradition of nomadic peoples to obtain military supplies on the spot.

The war has not yet officially begun.

The Roman people were the first to be robbed, but the Vandals didn't care. They had migrated westward from near Sarmatia, burning, killing, and looting along the way. If they hadn't failed to defeat the Visigoths, they would have settled in what is now Spain.

As for capturing Carthage in North Africa, it must be said that they were quite lucky.

At that time, a grand horse race was being held in Carthage. All the residents of the city gathered at the racetrack to watch the race. The entire city was undefended and had very few guards.

Just when the city's inhabitants were completely unprepared, a sudden battle erupted outside the city. Gaesarik led the Vandal army and appeared unexpectedly. The outcome was almost without suspense; the Vandals conquered Carthage without losing a single soldier or shedding a drop of blood.

The fall of the Western Empire was not without reason. The fact that Carthage, a military stronghold, was captured in such a ridiculous manner directly led to the rapid rise of the Vandals.

After fighting so many battles, Duncan realized that those rising barbarian tribes really seemed to be blessed by God.

They're incredibly lucky.

Of course, it's also possible that the empire was completely rotten inside.

Almost as soon as the Vandal army entered Italy, the British Legion was already closing in on Ravenna, preparing to capture the capital of the present-day empire in one fell swoop.

The false emperor is not a threat in this battle; it's the Vandals who are a bit of a problem.

………………

Capua, on the Italian peninsula.

This is where Spartacus once launched his rebellion, and now the Vandal army has arrived here.

The imperial army here has now been labeled as rebels by the false emperor Maximus. Relying on the Mediterranean shipping routes, Anya and Quintus secretly provide them with supplies. Although they have been besieged for nearly a month, the walls of Capua have not yet fallen.

The Vandal army had just arrived in Italy when they began looting the area to obtain supplies.

Meanwhile, dozens of miles outside Capua, a caravan was escorting several carriages to a large local manor. The empire had already formed early feudal manors, some even protected by high walls.

The caravan's guards were mostly foreign barbarians; they were private legions, the armed forces of local nobles.

These men were well-equipped and had a fighting strength that surpassed that of ordinary Imperial legions.

A thunderous sound of galloping hooves rang out.

Just as the leader of the private army showed a hint of panic, hundreds of cavalrymen suddenly appeared in the distance. The man at the head of the group had a thick beard and fierce eyes, with obvious nomadic features. He looked ahead with interest, then suddenly raised his palm, and the fierce cavalrymen stopped immediately.

It was only then that the private army saw the supplies piled high on their horses, and that some of the barbarian riders had even abducted a number of women on their horses.

A panicked female voice could be heard inside the carriage.

Immediately, the leader of the private legion approached and boldly said, "These are relatives of Senator Barnaclough of the Imperial Senate."

"The Empire is now allied with the Vandal Kingdom."

"Please let us leave."

The fierce-looking Vandal general, his face full of disdain, raised his whip, glanced at the other man casually, then pulled on the reins and led several dozen elite guards toward the spacious and luxurious carriage. This must be a noble family passing through the area, seeking refuge from the war.

The carriage curtain was pried open with a long sword.

The Vandal general saw a beautiful noblewoman inside, her face pale with fright. She was dressed in a magnificent long dress and adorned with exquisite jewelry. Her fair skin was as smooth as milk, delicate and tender, unlike any woman from nomadic tribes. She must have been pampered and lived a life of luxury since birth.

Even the slave maids beside her were extremely beautiful, with delicate skin that made them look incredibly tempting.

The Vandal general gasped for breath, his eyes revealing a lewd and greedy glint.

soon.

The sound of horses' hooves rang out, and the private equity legion was immediately surrounded.

"take away!"

Faced with the nomadic cavalry's raised bows and longswords, the leader of the private army had no choice but to lay down his weapon. A burst of laughter and strange shouts erupted all around, and some of his guards even rushed into the carriage, picked up a young and beautiful maid, tore off her clothes, and forcibly placed her on the horse's back.

The surrounding area erupted in laughter.

The beautiful noblewoman inside the carriage was already crying in fear. Her pitiful appearance only fueled the Vandal general's lust. He looked around and suddenly waved his hand.

puff.

Blood splattered.

The dozen or so private equity guards who had surrendered were immediately wiped out, completely powerless to resist.

A woman screamed.

The Vandal general dismounted and entered the carriage. His eyes were ferocious. He raised his hand and tore the noblewoman's gorgeous dress to shreds. Then, like a snow-white lamb, she was pinned down by the barbarian general, who reeked of blood and stench.

More than a dozen barbarian guards stood jokingly beside the carriage. After a while, the barbarian general straightened his clothes and came out. He roughly grabbed the ravaged noblewoman by the hair and dragged her onto his horse. Then he led hundreds of cavalrymen away.

Only a dozen or so dead people remained on the spot; the women and their belongings were almost entirely taken.

The historic scene was still unfolding. To the barbaric nomadic people, the pampered noblewomen of Rome were simply too tempting to resist. They couldn't restrain themselves, and whether they were the wives and daughters of senators or local nobles, none could escape their humiliation and plunder.

Getting them to send troops to help will come at a price!
It wasn't until three days later that the alarmed false emperor Maximus urgently dispatched an envoy from the Senate. However, when the envoy emerged trembling from the military camp, he only carried a woman wrapped in cloth, who had been tortured beyond recognition, covered in bruises and barely able to walk. As for the other maids and slaves, they had probably already died.

This is just a microcosm of the places the Vandals went; their original plan was to sack Rome, a thousand times more brutal than any of this.

At that time, tens of thousands of women were abused or even sold into slavery in North Africa.

The savage Vandal soldiers raided the mansions of Roman nobles one by one. Some impatient barbarian soldiers even raped and abused the once-high-ranking imperial noblewomen in the streets. At that time, the imperial noblewomen who had been plundered and abducted in the North African slave market could be sold for a high price, but later the price plummeted to half.

For a time, many Carthaginian brothels could be filled with the wives and daughters of nobles abducted from Rome.

For three or four times the usual price, you can enjoy the life of an imperial noblewoman with delicate skin.

Duncan changed the course of history.

However, the Vandals, who wanted to expand their territory, were also a war machine. They believed they had the advantage of a fleet and roamed the Mediterranean, coming and going as they pleased. Regardless of the war situation, it did not stop them from plundering Italy, so they were extremely reckless.

The Vandals paid no heed to the sudden deaths of Aetius the Protector, and Valentinian III, and even treated the false emperor Maximus with utter contempt, abducting and humiliating the wives and daughters of Senate members without hesitation. This was only because Queen Lysinia and her two princesses were rescued; otherwise, their fates would not have been much better.

It can only be said that the Vandals have not yet breached the city; if any city were to fall, the situation would only worsen.

Such a tragic scene can probably only be described as the humiliation of the Jingkang Incident.

It was for this reason that the Eastern Roman Empire later destroyed the Vandals and completely exterminated them.

at the same time.

Duncan's army had crossed the Po River and reached a point dozens of miles from the capital, Ravenna.

Unlike past wars.

This time, Duncan is ready to wield the butcher's knife.

The Vandals were not Visigoths. To deal with such a ferocious and treacherous nomadic people, you could simply stand their wheels upright and chop them down.

If we were to go even further, we'd lay the wheels flat and leave no one alive!
………………

(P.S.: Please vote for me next month.)
(End of this chapter)