A fleet of warships and ships was sailing on the sea. Pei Zi Yun stood on the deck of the warship and looked into the distance.
"Prince Paris, we are about to reach Athens," a captain reported.
"Mm, tell them to get ready to dock."
He then turned to Gesne and said, "When you reach the shore, go and investigate. I heard that there are monsters in Athens, but I don't know if they have been dealt with."
"Yes, Prince."
As soon as he finished speaking, he could vaguely see the outline of the port. Looking at the horizon, the silvery white beach glistened under the reflection of the sun.
The fleet slowly docked at the harbor. At this point, Pei Zi Yun was dressed in a white tunic, with leather armor on the outside. He had leather bracers on the wrist, and a bronze belt around his waist, with a short sword hanging from it.
At the port of Belieuse, a group of soldiers lined up. A young man came forward and said warmly, "Prince Paris, welcome."
"The great King has sent me to welcome you. Please board the carriage."
Pei Zi Yun looked at the young man and knew that the King he was talking about was the grandson of Ereketos, Menastheus. He had successfully chased out the hero Theseus and killed him. He had inherited his ancestor's throne and become the King of Athens.
Although he was not very strong, he should not be underestimated!
As he thought about it, he boarded the chariot. The chariot was pulled by four fine horses. The young man personally drove the chariot. With a flick of the reins, the chariot started moving towards Athens.
Athens was one of the most prosperous cities. It was surrounded by the sea on three sides. There were few plains and many mountains, making it inconvenient to develop livestock. However, it had good shipping routes. Hence, it was used for trade, mostly with Asia Minor.
Pei Zi Yun looked carefully and saw the Acropolis of Athens.
Athens originally meant 'high city' or 'city on a high hill'. The Acropolis was the center of Athens. It was built on a stone mountain 150 meters above sea level. There was a temple here, and it was also a place to take refuge and defend during times of war.
"The Parthenon Temple is right above!" Pei Zi Yun took a look and turned closer. The farmland outside the city was divided into pieces, and there were drainage ditches between the ridges. He could not help but nod his head.
He thought to himself, "Land rotation has been implemented, and irrigation is relatively complete. However, there is not much land."
"Even the wealthiest family in Athens only has an income of 500 wheat buckets. This was the focus of Solon's reforms in the future!"
Solon assigned citizenship according to their wealth. The first class, with an income of more than 500 wheat buckets, was called the "500 wheat buckets class", and they could serve as the country's magistrates and treasurers. The second class, with an income of more than 300 wheat buckets, was called the "knight class", and they could serve as the country's magistrates. The third class, with an income of more than 200 wheat buckets, was called the "oxbow class", and they could only serve as low-level officials. The fourth class, with an income of less than 200 wheat buckets, was called the "day mercenary class", and they had no chance of becoming an official in the country.
"This proves the lack of land. The largest landowner only has 500 wheat buckets, and one wheat bucket is equivalent to 52.3 kilograms. This is a stark contrast to Troy, where the fertile land outside the city grows lush olives, grapes, and wheat."
"Commerce can establish a country, but it cannot dominate."
"The location of Athens means that it is impossible for it to truly dominate, because its population and food are too dependent on external imports."
As he pondered, he had already entered the city. The city was paved with stone slabs, and the Athenians who walked along the streets all had black hair and black eyes. Those with blond hair were not the original Greeks.
The men wore white robes and kept their beards, while the women wore their hair in a bun and tied it up with brightly colored ribbons. Those who were rich had a jewel on their forehead. When they saw the chariot, they all gave way and bowed.
When he looked again, he saw plazas, halls, arenas, and theatres. Pei Zi Yun could not help but exclaim, "What a great city."
"Thank you for your compliments, Prince Paris." The young man who was driving the chariot was very happy. He pointed and said, "Look, we have arrived at the palace."
Athens, Palace
After alighting from the chariot, he saw that the palace had thick walls, doors, and pillars were covered with grapevines. There were two pillars on the left and right, leading to many rooms and avenues.
As Pei Zi Yun was guided forward, he saw a few palaces. There were a few statues in front of the main hall, and a middle-aged man on the steps.
Pei Zi Yun stepped forward and bowed, "Thank you very much, King Menastoth. Thank you for your warm welcome. Please allow me to present you with a gift!"
The servant immediately handed it over, but it was not too heavy. It was slightly heavier than usual. If not, Prince Paris's reputation as a spendthrift would have spread.
"Oh, you must be Prince Paris. In these two months, your name has spread throughout the whole of Greece." As he spoke, the middle-aged man gave Pei Zi Yun a warm hug and led him into the main hall. There were many people in the main hall, as the King had invited many people to attend the banquet.
The afternoon sun illuminated the paintings on the wall. Zeus was in the clouds, with many gods surrounding him. Each of them held a golden cup in their hands, drinking wine to their heart's content.
As the guests were invited to take their seats, the servants served delicious food and wine. During the banquet, a group of dancers danced enthusiastically, while minstrels sang beautiful poems.
Pei Zi Yun could feel the warmth of King Menastoth. The other nobles were whispering amongst themselves, as they admired Prince Paris.
"Do you know the purpose of Prince Paris's visit?"
"I heard that it's for King Priam of Troy's sister, Hesione. He wants to ransom her."
"However, Salamis rejected him last time."
"This time, he brought a fleet. Obviously, he has a backup plan. Could it be that Troy wants to snatch her back?"
"Snatching her back is only natural, because Hercules was the one who conquered Troy in the first place. He snatched Hesione away and gave her to Teramon as his wife. It was all a snatch."
At this point in time, no one felt that this was wrong. This was too common in this era. Someone said, "Hercules is a great hero. How can Prince Paris compare?"
"Prince Paris isn't bad either. He killed the sirens and the two-headed lizard, and suppressed the Amazons. This time in Greece, he won many competitions in the city-states."
"Furthermore, now that Hercules is dead, King Eurystheus of Agos can take revenge on his descendants. Rumor has it that they have escaped from Mykenia and are heading to Trachiss, hoping to receive protection from King Ceyux."
Pei Zi Yun listened to these words and understood that Hercules' descendants would participate in the battle of Troy. He smiled and stood up, saying, "King Menastoth, I am grateful for your hospitality. I would like to play a song for you."
As he said this, he waved his hand. A servant took out an intricate harp and tuned the strings.
Prince Paris was already good at playing the harp. His music was beautiful and could mesmerize a ship. Now, he was even better at it. Pei Zi Yun smiled and pressed on the strings.
Instantly, the music flowed out. From the start, it was filled with different emotions, bringing people back to their youth.
The youth carried his dreams and embarked on his journey.
Laughter, tears, hypocrisy, pain, all kinds of hardships and setbacks, as well as the joy of success. Everyone was deeply attracted by the sound of Prince Paris's fingers.
Prince Paris's voice changed magnificently. It was as if the vast sea, the rolling mountains, the ancient temples, the green olive groves, the heroes fighting with monsters, the philosophers debating with each other, the bards singing melodiously, and the nobles hunting in high spirits.
If not for the fact that they were in the King's Hall, many people would have jumped up in joy. This was their past.
The melody was not sorrowful, but it was quickly replaced by passion. It was as if a hero was facing trials and tribulations, never stopping until he reached a beautiful wilderness and found peace.
"This is Elysium?" King Menastoth seemed to have lost something. He wiped his tears and said gently, "Prince Paris, your music has won me over. Even Olufi can't compare to you. What request do you have? As long as it is reasonable, I will agree."
Pei Zi Yun bowed, "King Menastoth, thank you very much. I have come to the great Athens and felt the glory of the gods. I have even entered your palace and received such warm hospitality. I am already satisfied. What more could I ask for?"
"However, if I receive your permission, I would like to purchase a bull and offer it to the protector of Athens."
Menastoth happily agreed, "Prince Paris, wherever you go, you will respectfully offer sacrifices to the gods. Your piety is well-known throughout Greece. How can I stop you from doing so?"
"Then I thank you again, King Menastoth." With that, Pei Zi Yun took his leave. Menastoth gladly agreed.
Pei Zi Yun stood up and left. He stopped in front of a pillar. On the pillar were carvings of Athena and Artemis. They were surrounded by nymphs, carrying baskets of grapes, peaches, and figs.
Pei Zi Yun was deep in thought. He had given Menastoth a chance, but he did not mention anything about the monster. Could it be that it had been resolved?
Regardless of whether it was resolved or not, the most important thing to do in this trip to Athens was to offer sacrifices to the protector of Athens, Athena. He wanted to see her reaction.
'Who would have thought that such a passionate Menastoth would be a part of the attack on Troy?' Pei Zi Yun thought to himself. At this point, a very young noble stepped forward, "Prince Paris, let me bring you to your residence. That is where the prince and the envoy live."
There was nothing wrong with the term 'embassy'. Ancient Greece already had such a place. When foreigners came to the city, they naturally had to find their own way out. However, for envoys and important guests, there was a special service area for them to stay in. When necessary, they would be able to find them a place to sit in a public meeting or a theater. This was the beginning of what became embassies and consulates.
'Furthermore, he did not arrange for me to stay in the palace, but in the embassy area. Menastoth's passion was actually limited. Perhaps he caught wind of something?'
This Era City was actually very small. Before long, they arrived at a mansion. It was decorated with bronze and marble statues. The decorations on the ceiling and floor were simple but exquisite. Pei Zi Yun was very satisfied and instructed Gesne, "Gesne, I have already received permission from the king to offer sacrifices to Athena. Go and buy me a high quality bull."
The nobleman who accompanied him was very young. He looked like a teenager, and he had grown a beard in accordance with the Greek custom. He laughed and said, "Prince Paris, I have thirty cows. You can choose any one of them. Why do you need to buy one?"
"Thank you for your generosity. However, if I do not buy it, how can I show my sincerity to the great Athena?"
"Oh yes, what is your name?"
"Demophon!" The young noble thought for a moment before nodding his head. Pei Zi Yun watched him leave, his expression gradually turning cold. He even had a strange look on his face.
"Demophon, this is the son of Theseus. He did not participate in the war, and was accumulating his strength in Athens. When Menastoth returns, he will officially launch a coup, exile the king, and ascend the throne."
"This person is very scheming!"
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