Chapter 226

Adidas Ruba looked at Marco's excited expression, but he was not touched at all: Carthage's hegemony in Sicily? I think it is the hegemony of your Margonides in Sicily!

In fact, the Carthaginians inherited the racial characteristics of the Phoenicians, preferring business and trade rather than military aggression. For hundreds of years, the colonization and trade of the Carthaginians in Sicily, with the exception of very few conflicts, mostly coexisted peacefully with the Greeks. Until more than 80 years ago, Dillon, the tyrant of Syracuse, attacked Himera, forcing the tyrant of Himera, Tirirus, to seek help from Hamilka, the patriarch of the Margonid family of Carthage and his close friend.

Hamilka happened to be annoyed at the injustice of his mother's family in Syracuse (Hamilka's mother was from Syracuse), and without the unanimous consent of the Senate, organized an out of his own pocket. The Sicilian expedition was defeated by Dillon at Himera, and Hamilka was also killed. Therefore, the Margonid family made it a mission to defeat Syracuse, and also dragged the people of Carthage into the water. Since then The Carthaginians fought Syracuse for decades...

Now that the Margonid family has lost their absolute rule in Carthage, they still want to encourage the people to throw themselves into the endless Sicilian war... Adiya Ruba, who knows some inside information, scoffs at this, he coughs a few times. He said coldly: "War needs people. The first two wars against Syracuse launched by your brother and you have caused Carthage to lose too many citizens. I am afraid they are unwilling and unable to join again. To a new war!"

Adiya Ruba's words pointed directly at Marco's sore foot, which made him blush slightly, and said in a bit of anger: "I don't need citizens to participate in the war, as long as there are enough mercenaries, I can lead the army to attack Syracuse. Under the city!"

Adidas Ruba laughed and said: "Mage Lord, you said easily, enough mercenaries?! That also requires enough gold and silver to pay their wages! Now your mercenaries have let Carthage's treasury is tight, and they want to recruit more soldiers. Not only will the senate will not agree, but the people will also object, because that means taxation. And too many mercenaries will also make people worry Ah, Lord Margo, you just said, 'If you can't pay enough on time, those mercenaries may riot.'"

Marco was at a loss for words, and after a while, he gritted his teeth unwillingly and said: "Even if I don't increase the number of troops, just use the existing army in Sicily, I will definitely be able to regain the city-state and land that I lost! Please also ask Lord Adiyaruba. Tell the Senate to reconsider this matter!"

Adiya Ruba categorically refused: "Master Margo, don't you know the current situation in Carthage! Carthage needs to restore prosperity, the people hope to be able to live a stable life, and no one is willing to do anything that has nothing to do with them anymore. Those lands and inexplicable reasons to sacrifice their lives! We finally made peace with Syracuse, and now you want us to tear up the peace with them and restart the war, which will not only anger the people of Syracuse, but may also cause The dissatisfaction of the Dionians who have just established some contact with us, Carthage will not make such a reckless decision!"

Margo was enraged by his words: "Adida Ruba,

I used to think that you were a little hard-hearted. You had your own independent opinions and opinions in the Senate. Now it seems that you are no different from those guys who are attached to Hanno. Do you know what the people call them? "

Facing Marco's offense, Aditya Ruba held back his anger and said in a deep voice: "My view has always been based on the interests of Carthage, and I will not consider who is in favor or who is opposed, but Marco Is this decision you made, my lord, really for Carthage?! I want to remind you that the Senate will send an elder to serve as the Sicilian inspector in view of this sensitive period, so that those mercenaries will not obey the command. , it will only cause some surprises!"

This time, the two of them parted ways.

When Aditya Roba left the governor's mansion, Marco could still be heard roaring inside. He finally made up his mind and agreed to Hanno's private proposal: send an envoy as soon as possible to reach an agreement with Dionia.

On the way to the port, he kept encountering mercenaries with various accents and clothes, which made him frown: the Sicilian military defense zone is completely unnecessary, and peace and peace can be obtained through negotiation. Interests, why is it necessary to go through war...

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In the dark night, the port of Xi Li Ting was silent, only the sea tide gently beat the pier, making a gentle rushing sound.

A full moon in the sky, using soft silver light to dispel the darkness between the sky and the earth, also brings a bit of safety to sailing at night.

Dionysius, Phibbidas and his party came to the pier quietly, and Leputines had prepared a boat for them.

Dionysius patted Facipesas on the shoulder with a rare gesture of intimacy, and said solemnly: "Facipesas, don't send it any more, lest the soldiers find something abnormal. During this time, here's the All the troops will be handed over to you, and I will bring reinforcements as soon as possible!"

The important task Dionysius handed over to Facipesas made him feel a lot of pressure. After half a day, his forehead was a little more wrinkled, but at this time he could no longer tell his anguish, he could only send Blessing: "Sir, may Apollo bless you and return to Syracuse smoothly!"

"Don't forget, temporarily hide the news of my departure from the soldiers to avoid chaos in the troops!" Dionysius reminded again.

Fasipezas nodded in understanding.

Watching Fasipesas turn and leave, Dionysius quickly retracted his gaze and said to Leputines beside him, "How is the blockade of the port by the Dionysians now?"

"According to the sentinel's report from the lighthouse, there are only three or four Dionysian Clippers outside the port, and it is impossible for them to block such a wide outgoing sea at night. With Laktilus' ship-handling skills, they can easily break through their blocking! "

After listening to Leptines' confident words, Dionysius relaxed a little, and he looked at his brother. Usually his mediocrity and incompetence often made him angry and helpless, but his loyalty and meticulousness. Executing the order made him feel at ease again, so he sent several other brothers to other city-states as tyrants, and kept this one by his side... Looking at this simple and honest brother at this moment, he had no complaints in his heart, but Some are family affection, he whispered: "Pay close attention to the movement in the city. Once you find that something is wrong, immediately take the fleet out of the port and return to Syracuse!"

"Ah!" Leptines almost cried out in astonishment.

Dionysius glared at him fiercely, squeezed his hand hard, and whispered again: "Remember!"

Leputines nodded again and again alertly: "Yes! Yes!"

Dionysius ignored him again, and with the help of his guards, jumped on the rickety clipper.

"Is it all finished?" Phoebe Das asked meaningfully at this time, who was already on the boat.

Dionysius nodded.

"Will you come back?" Phoebe Das's question was always so straightforward.

Dionysius' face changed slightly, he ignored Phoebe Das, but said to Lactilus who was at the stern: "Go!"

Laktilus immediately had the sailors untangle the ropes and hoist the sails. Although the wind is blowing from the east, not the south, for the experienced Lactylus, this is not a problem. He skillfully controls the rudder, and the clipper sails out of the port like an arrow.

Dionysius couldn't help but look back, only to see Leptinius still standing on the pier, waving constantly.

Dionysius looked sad: why didn't he want to lead the reinforcements back to Cilidia, defeat Dionysius, and regain the prestige for him and Syracuse. But judging from all the signs now, the difficulties encountered after this trip back to Syracuse were not just a Dionian army of several thousand people. Rakuza's power is stable, that's the most important thing! Without power, you and your family will die without a place to be buried!

Dionysius is very conscious of this, in order to achieve this purpose, everything else can be abandoned!

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The Syracuse coalition forces surrounded the Dionysian First Army and the exiles, and it seemed that the landing force was about to be defeated in one fell swoop, but the news of the allied riots caused the Syracuse coalition forces to be in chaos, and finally had to Choose to retreat. The Dionian First Army took the opportunity to counterattack, causing the Syracuse coalition to retreat from a retreat to a rout.

Macias led the cavalry all the way to the south for more than 20 miles, and entered the vast Catania plain. Only then did he stop escaping, and began to send cavalry to gather the defeated soldiers in all directions. It was not until dusk that more than 4,000 people gathered.

At this time, the reconnaissance cavalry reported: Katanai City in front sent troops to attack and capture the rout soldiers.

In order to be safe, Macias had to lead the remnants of the defeated generals to move westward.

They passed through several villages. In fact, these villages were originally owned by Katanai mercenaries, but the slaves attacked their former masters, and then followed the successful riot to enter the city of Katanai, and they also took away the food stored in the villages.

Apart from seeing the corpses in one place, the routed soldiers did not find much food to eat. Although the Katana mercenaries in the team were angry, they could not even protect themselves at the moment, so they could only cry secretly.

Hungry and exhausted, the demoralized rout soldiers staggered through the night, and finally found a village unscathed by the riots on the southwestern edge of Katana's territory.

Faced with so many soldiers, the villagers panicked.