#360 Decisive Battle Serinus (1)
In fact, just as Okredon was worried, the harmonious atmosphere when the two met last time no longer existed. In this meeting, Marco not only refused the request to "stop the attack", but also rebuked loudly: In this national crisis, the Hanoi faction not only did not unite to defeat the powerful enemy, but instead tried to provoke civil strife and betray the interests of the city-state. This is simply treason!
The two quarreled, and Okleton left angrily.
Marco vented his anger, but he was not in a good mood: the original siege force of the Numibians suffered too many casualties during this time, plus the suspicion and scrutiny of the generals and team officers these days. No matter how coercive and enticing they are, they basically fail to work hard.
Time is very important to Marco, and he was too anxious to get angry, so he decided to let the Iberian army he trusted as the main force in the siege.
Although the Dionysian army has been stepping up the construction of the defense facilities in the city of Serinus during this period of time, but the time haste, it is still unable to compare with the completely stone outer city wall. After two days of fierce fighting, at noon on the third day , There is good news from the front: Report to Lord Margo, General Hasdruba has led his army to capture the inner city in the west!
In fact, there is no need for the messenger to report. Standing at the top of the outer wall and paying attention to the battle situation, Marco can clearly see the Iberian soldiers in front of the city are constantly boarding the top of the city. Excited, he immediately ordered: "Tell Haas. Drogba, don't stop at the front of the city, continue to attack, capture the port as soon as possible, and capture the whole city!"
"Also remind General Hasdruba to be careful of the counterattack of the Dionians!" Pomirka interjected.
Marco glanced at him, then waved to the messenger: That's it! To Hasdrubal, let's go! "
"Master Margo, after capturing Serinus... you won't launch a new attack, right?" Pomirka asked softly, worrying about gains and losses.
The excitement on Marco's face quickly disappeared, he snorted coldly, and said sarcastically: "The Senate has threatened me to stop delivering military supplies to us. How can I still have the ability to start a new battle!"
Pomirka sighed and said with a worried look: "The rations we have in reserve can only be supplied for less than 10 days. If Carthage stops transporting rations to us, then we can..."
Marco said calmly: "Our navy has been completely defeated. I heard that Dionia's warship has even cruised in the waters of Carthage every day. It is impossible for Carthage to transport military supplies here. , what use are the words of the Senate threatening us!
Besides, even if the Dionysian fleet really lifted the blockade during the negotiations, would the Senate really dare not supply us with food? You must know that in this army, there are not only the natives of Numibia and Iberia, but also citizens from the allies of Carthage and Phoenicia. If they starve to death, they are not afraid of causing the anger of the Carthaginian people! "
Marco, who holds military power, is playing a rogue, and the nursing home is indeed unable to hold him temporarily... Pomirka was speechless, he sighed: "Master Marco, if you do this, you will anger many elders, wait until you return to Carthia. Kei, I'm afraid I'll be interrogated by the Senate..."
"I'm not afraid of their interrogation!" There was a layer of anger on Margo's face, and he said in a deep voice: "What I'm worried about is that some people will detain the name of the culprit who 'caused Carthage to be forced to carry out peace talks' on me. To tarnish the honor of the great Margonides! I will never allow such a thing to happen!
you think about it,
Since we landed in Sicily, we have conquered Minoa, Agrigento, Econum, Gera, won the battle of Gera, invaded Dionia's territory in Sicily, and even shocked the The main army under the command of King Dionia does not dare to fight with us! On the contrary, Monte Ardeno's army suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Minoa, and Annobas's navy suffered repeated defeats... Who recommended them?!
Now, we have conquered the heavily guarded city of Serinus. If the Senate insists on accusing you and me of the crime, the people will understand that the real sinner will never be the one who has been winning for Carthage. We, but some incompetent and shameless elders! "
Having said this, Marco took a breath, looked at the soldiers cheering the victory on the front of the city, hesitated and said, "Since Okreton said that the Dionysians are very willing to negotiate, we won the Serinus, it will increase their willingness to negotiate, and also allow Okridon to have more leverage in the negotiation and pay less..."
Margo's greatest fear remained unspoken: if the Dionians stopped peace talks and continued fighting, his army would collapse due to lack of food.
But at this time, for him, who has been caught in the dual dilemma of politics and military, in order to defend the honor of himself and his family, he does not have many options.
Pomirka obviously thought of this, so he was not completely moved by Marco's words, he said softly and frankly: "I hope things develop as you said..."
The two quickly fell into silence, each holding the battlements and looking forward in silence.
I don't know how long it took, and the messenger rushed over: "Report to Lord Margo, the Dionians built a strong city wall in front of the port, dug trenches, and set up a deer fortress, and the number of enemies at the top of the city increased, our attack Obstructed, General Hasdrubal asks you for instructions."
Marco's heart tightened, and he immediately asked, "What is Hasdrubal's opinion?"
"The general believes that the soldiers are very tired from the fierce battle, and they don't know the enemy's defense situation. I hope that the soldiers can retreat and rest, and wait until tomorrow when they are fully prepared before attacking."
"Damn Dionians, how many city walls have they built!" Margo, who was eagerly looking forward to victory, scolded.
"This should be the Dionian's last line of defense in Serinus." Pomirka comforted.
Time, time... Margo thought to himself, he wanted to end the battle as soon as possible, then stop the war on Dionia, let the armistice negotiations continue, and win a chance for the army, but things did not develop as he had imagined. as smoothly.
"Let Hasdruba lead his troops to retreat temporarily..." Marco said angrily, and slapped the battlement with his palm.
At this moment, out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed that black smoke seemed to be rising from the distance behind the right side. He immediately turned around and looked around, and saw that not only the fire was flashing in the northwest of the Carthaginian camp outside the city of Serinus. Movement, black smoke billows, and if you listen carefully, there is the sound of fighting.
"What happened there?!" Pomirka's exclamation already sounded beside him: "Hurry up and send someone to check!"
At this moment, the intuition tempered in the Iberian battlefield for ten years made Margo feel that the situation was not good, and he decisively issued an order to the adjutant: immediately send someone to inform Sticamo (the commander of 10,000 Carthaginian citizens) General officer, responsible for staying at the camp), the northwest camp has changed, let him lead the army to pacify the chaos! ... ...and then send someone to inform Kisgow (at this moment Kisgow is leading more than 6,000 Phoenician allied soldiers, as a reserve for the siege, waiting in the city of Serinus), let him immediately lead the troops Return to camp and assist Stickamo! "
"Yes, my lord!" The adjutant immediately went to arrange for a messenger.
"Could it be that the Numibian cavalry rebelled?" Pomirka said worriedly, pointing to the place where the smoke was rising. Because the Carthaginian army built walls on both sides of the camp to capture Serinus before, this time it blocked the sight of Margo and the others, making it impossible for him to see the situation in the camp, but that direction was mainly The camp of the Numibian cavalry is located, so Pomirka will have this guess.
"...It's hard to say." Marco pondered, not daring to make a rash judgment, because there were not only Numibian soldiers, but also Lusitania cavalry and a small number of Numibian infantry soldiers in that position. And because the success of the Dionysian army's successive raids on Palermos and Lilibe left a shadow in Margo's heart, he suddenly came up with a more terrifying guess: would it be Dionia? The army sneaked into the camp? !
He couldn't help but shivered several times, and shouted to the adjutant again: "Immediately rush to inform Hasdruba, let him leave 10,000 people to defend the inner city just captured, and lead the other troops to return to the camp immediately. !"
As soon as Marco gave the order, he saw several scouts rushing from the camp to the city wall, shouting loudly: "Master Marco! Marco Lord!!"
"What's the matter?!" Marco hurriedly stuck his head out of the battlements.
"Master Mago, the Numibian soldiers who went out to patrol the camp in the morning suddenly attacked the soldiers stationed at the west camp gate when they returned to the camp, and occupied the camp gate, and their camp also rebelled at the same time, those Numi The Biya cavalry assembled, not only burned their own camp, but also launched an attack on the nearby Carthaginian cavalry camp... After General Stikamo got the news, he was gathering his troops to pacify the chaos, and he had not arrived in the west. When the camp was over, news came again that the Numibian camp to the east was unstable, and some Numibian soldiers were attacking their officers and plotting to start a rebellion. General Stikamo believed that the troops were insufficient and could not calm down the entire camp in time. The turmoil, I hope you can send reinforcements."
"There must have been Dionians in there, we didn't clean up the spies from the Numibian army! And the rebellious Numibian cavalry, they must have been taken by the Dionians too. Inciting!" Pomirka said alertly at this time, with regret in his expression.
In the previous rectification of the entire Carthaginian army, some Numibian spies who were brought back by the Dionysians have been caught. If it wasn't for Marco who was in a hurry to attack Serinus, Pomirka thought that there would be more A few days of rectification can completely guarantee the stability of the Numibian army. However, for the Numibian cavalry, they were both negligent, and their rectification and review were not strict before, because when the rumors of the Numibian army spread, the Numibian cavalry camp was very calm, plus The East and West Numibians are relatively independent and do not communicate much, so both Marco and Pomirka have an illusion that the Numibian cavalry is trustworthy.
After hearing the call for help from the cavalry under the city, Marco was relieved at first: The movement in the camp was not caused by the surprise attack of the Dionian army!