How to Sell an Apple

The Mega Doux called out for an imperial council election in the senate. The Praefectus Urbi Germanus Laskaris, or the Prefect of Constantinople, carefully approached the emperor Constantine sitting on the throne, the later whispered something and waved his hands. Germanus nodded, bowed, walked onto the stage, cleared his throat and yelled.

"His Majesty declares this Eklogés valid! And his majesty shall not use his divine rights of Veto!"

A Kontoubernion of ten palace guards soon marched into the hall to maintain law and order under the lead of Germanus Laskaris, they divided all the courtiers and senators into three groups according to their various ranks. The Illustres, the Gloriosi, the Spectabiles and the Clarissimi like their ancient counterparts. Each rank determines the weight of their vote, although this ancient tradition is near extinction nowadays caused by the Palaiologan civil wars and disintegrations last century, it is still carried out as a form of showing equality among all people giving them a chance to participate in the senate.

The Illustres, comprising of vital officials of the empire such as the Mega Doux, voted first, stepping forward onto the stage, bending over to write down their choice with an anonymous identity, then dropped them into a red drop-box. Then they went back to their respective locations. This is followed by Gloriosi, Spectabiles and Clarissimi.

It took quite a while for them to finish the voting. The Praefectus Urbi Germanus Laskaris, then bowed towards the emperor before counting the votes. After counting, he passed the boxes to Constantine bowing and asking if he needs to verify the number of votes. Constantine waved his hands again signaling that he has full trust on Germanus Laskaris, which the later then ran to the stage declaring the results of the vote.

"The votes count twenty-four to twenty-four, with six abstained from voting. Thus, as the Praefectus Urbi, I therefore declare, that this vote is a draw!"

A series of denials and nays soon erupted below the stage, the whole great hall turned itself once again into a bustling city marketplace, a bit too bustling of course. If it is not for the guards who are struggling to control the situation, this place will once again become a war zone of physical strength rather than language dominance.

Constantine decided that he shall have chicken gyros as dinner today.

"ORDER!"

"Or…ORDER!"

Germanus Laskaris tried his best to maintain order in this place but it all came to no avail. Constantine, knowing that a council like this basically cannot do anything and is a waste of time, watched with a cold eye as-if he is in a circus.

The Mega Doux, who was silent for most of the time today, suddenly paced himself forward with his hands in a cup shape before his abdomen and stepped on the stage. The moment he stepped onto the stage; all tensions went down as people stared at him. The grand hall soon quietened down to an extent that a cough can be heard as the Mega Doux Loukas Notaras raised his hands.

"Gentlemen… colleagues! Listen to me! I have a proposal!"

Constantine continued watching with a cold eye, while others started paying full attention on the stage on what the Mega Doux is going to say.

"I can see that the gentlemen cannot agree on this topic, but many colleagues in the senate are like me, old, fragile, burning the last bit of their life serving the good of the empire. I sincerely ask the young, the abled to pardon us old folks and end today's senate council quick!"

A bunch of old men below, dressed in luxurious silk robes and jewels, nodded their head and aye in support.

"Thus I have a proposal!" Loukas took a glance at everyone beneath him. "Since the gentlemen cannot agree on this topic, and the vote is a draw, I suggest that the senate adopt the third solution. That is, we will not increase the budget to the Genoese mégas doméstikos and his army, but we neither cut any of his expense!"

This created another huge debate beneath the stage even before Loukas could finish his sentence, Germanus Laskaris hastily took over and shouted to keep the hall in order. Constantine, who decided that it should be the time to end this mess, signaled Germanus Laskaris to come forward and instructed him to start another round of vote for the Mega Doux's proposal.

This time the Mega Doux Loukas gained the upper hand.

…

After the senate is dispersed, Germanus Laskaris ran to catch up with the Mega Doux, who is waiting for him on a four-wheeled wagon carriage by the road to Great hall of Magnaura under the cover of dusk. He hurriedly climbed onto the carriage, then the coachman whipped the horse and started moving towards the Mega Doux's residence.

"I am sorry, Mega Doux, I did not accomplish your task today…" Germanus wiped his sweat, lowered his head and started apologising.

"Eyy… what are you talking about my boy, we achieved our goal today." The Mega Doux Loukas Notaras interrupted and replied, looking outside at the passers-by.

Germanus looked up, startled with his eyes full of surprise. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"You have little experience on how to survive in the imperial court." Loukas shook his head. "Only got your position as the emperor's close man because of your house and my recommendation… I suggest that you should resign and request for another position to Morea… that should be good for you."

Germanus dared not to retort against the man before him.

"Tell me, boy, let's say if you want to sell an apple at one Folles, and you are the only one selling fruits around, what do you do?"

"I… set up a shop and label one apple one Folles."

"Wrong, wrong." Loukas shook his head again. "You label it as two Folles… If you label it as two Folles, people will argue that it is too expensive and ask you to lower the price, then you pretend that you listened to them and lowered your price to one Folles. In the end they feel that their argument worked, and you managed to sell your apple at one Folles. If you label your apple as one Folles in the first, people will argue for even less, like half a Folles, get it?"

Germanus thought for a while, then nodded unstoppably.

"A small political trick…anyways, I need to know the Basileus' opinion on those Genoese…"

"Yes, Mega Doux…" Germanus lowered his head, but curiosity led him asking. "So, Mega Doux, your true intention today was…"

Loukas shook his head the third time and pointed towards the carriage door. "Guess yourself… now get off my carriage."