Chapter 426 Alan

After getting the food, Luca had no reason to wait with Tarraco any longer. He couldn't wait any longer! But he couldn't leave this strange and damned place as soon as possible. He still had some things to find Andres. Of course, that was just what he thought.

In an open space outside the city of Tarraco, which is Andres' estate, the autumn harvest here has come to an end, but inside Andres' estate, it is still a busy scene.

"You nobles, away from war, have become greedy. Greed is terrible. It can give people what they want, but it can also constantly devour that person's life." Luca looked at the endless fields and said to Andres.

"Maybe it will be like this, sir. Fortunately, God bless us, doesn't he?" Andres didn't seem to care about it. His words seemed to be avoiding the meaning of Luca's words. This is not surprising. This is his life. He has experienced it for decades. How could it be changed so easily?

"You are bleeding!" Luca was helpless, but he could not change anything. He was only a captain of soldiers, not an administrative official. Besides, an administrative official could not violate the Roman tradition, that is, the so-called unwritten rules accumulated by generations of aristocrats.

Andres did not answer, and Luca wondered how much he had understood, but he did not have time to verify it.

"I hope that after I leave, you can stabilize the emotions of the local nobles. After all, they seem to be a little abnormal." Luga looked at Andres and instructed him, and he was also paying close attention to the changes on Andres' face. After all, Luga didn't trust this guy, from the bottom of his heart.

"As you wish, Mr. Luca!" Andres bowed slightly. Everything seemed so natural, and one could even feel a hint of relief from it. Yes, Luca's departure made him breathe a sigh of relief.

Luca could see it, but he was unwilling to express his dissatisfaction so casually.

"Then I wish you good luck, Mr. Andres. A year's harvest is not easy." Looking at Andres' wide eyes full of questions, he did not understand the meaning of Luca's words, but Luca was too lazy to explain, so he simply turned and left, leaving him alone to think silently.

The next morning, the soldiers were ready to go, but there were too many of them, so they had to split into two groups. Half of the troops were led by Marenius and Mateolius and advanced along the Via Augusta all the way to New Carthage.

Luca, with his accompanying officials and navy, will travel by water. He will sail along the coast, mainly because he wants to see what the situation in the Iberian region is like from the offshore perspective, at least in the areas in the hands of the Romans.

After three days of sailing, Luca saw a lot of things along the way, but of course, he didn't see anything worth being happy about, because there were many fishing boats and merchant ships coming in and out of the ports of the coastal cities of Sagunto and Vanisia. The local garrison dukes or nobles still maintained a weak navy, which was to prevent the safety of merchant ships near the coast or to provide assistance to stranded ships, of course, these were paid services.

"This place has been in its current state since the time of Caesar Constantius. It has not changed much in the past few decades." As Luca was admiring the scenery along the coast, Sergius' voice rang out from behind him. Luca turned around quickly and saw that Sergius was still dressed in the highest attire of a fleet commander. He was such a flashy guy, his gorgeous clothes even made Luca look pale in comparison when he stood next to him.

Seeing the confusion in Luga's eyes, Sergius felt that he had to explain to this newly arrived sergeant.

"As you can see, sir." Sergius shrugged and said, "I have been sailing here for almost twenty years, yes, although most of the time I have been enjoying delicious cakes in the Governor's Palace in the city. But I can still remember what it looked like twenty years ago. Really, there is no need to remember, because it is exactly the same as it was then. Ancient, old, and without any novelty, it retains its original appearance, but the people doing the same thing have changed generations."

"What kind of appearance is this?" Luca glanced around and said to Sergius, "It's lukewarm and weak. Compared with the Vandals, I can only say that we will be left far behind by them very soon."

“You are talking about business and trade, right?” Sergius said, glancing at the pier and the handful of ships that were gradually becoming blurred behind him.

"Maybe. The Romans don't seem to care about trade. After all, they are a nation that rose from the land. As for warships, as long as they can maintain regional stability, the rest will be left to the field legions." At this point, Luca couldn't help but sigh, and then slowly said: "The state of the field legions is getting worse and worse, and they are becoming more and more powerless. I really can't think of anything that can change this situation, such as expelling the barbarians."

At this point, Luca was attracted by the things on the shore and was stunned. Sergius followed his gaze and saw a group of riders on a shallow beach on the shore, where the river flows into the sea. They were washing something in the river.

Their war horses were drinking water not far away. From their appearance, it could be seen that they were not like ordinary robbers, because it was impossible for robbers to wear heavy leather armor.

The Roman warships were as conspicuous as lighthouses on the sea, so the cleaning riders could clearly see the Roman warships as long as they looked up. They became alert, stopped their work, called out to each other, and ran back.

Luga just watched from afar, watching them gradually go away until they disappeared in the bushes, leaving behind the swaying branches.

"They don't look like robbers." Luca pointed to where they were going away and said to Sergius, "Do you know what they are?"

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"Alans!" Sergius said without thinking. "The barbarians who migrated here from the east, from the Dyasi and even further, are people we have never encountered before, just like the Huns. They are used to riding horses and are good riders. Like other barbarians, they are stupid and like to plunder."

"So they're already running rampant here?" Luca asked Sergius, pointing to the open space.

"I know nothing about this, Soldier Captain!" Sergius continued, "I am not responsible for the defense of Iberia. Over the years, it has been the local nobles of Iberia who have been defending themselves. This is all I know, Soldier Captain."

(End of this chapter)