"Your Majesty, I have something to say..."
When Li Ang and Emperor Marius were about to toast to decide on the retreat, Alina suddenly spoke, "Your Majesty, Li Ang, you cannot retreat."
Both of them turned to look at Alina, their expressions were a little surprised.
"Alina, what are you talking about? Don't you think of yourself as Baxian..."
Agason looked surprised.
Li Ang thought for a while and suddenly laughed, "Indeed, I can't retreat..."
Emperor Marius seemed to realize something. He waved his hand gently. "Everyone else, go outside... keep an eye on the military tent and don't let anyone get close."
He drove out all the guards in the military tent.
Only Emperor Marius, Li Ang, Alina, Agason and Risadiran were left in the military account.
"Luciana, do you have any good plans?"
After confirming that there was no one else in the military tent, Emperor Marius asked.
"I do have a plan..."
Alina began to explain, "Li Ang His Majesty cannot retreat because it is unreasonable - he has just won a big victory and it is a good time to pursue the victory. Retreat at this time? All the lords in New Kingdom of Pendor will not be happy. Last night they were still discussing with great interest how to invade Erudition City..."
"Furthermore, retreating troops when they shouldn't and truceing when they shouldn't will make the real enemy aware of it. The enemy will judge and prepare in advance... We should not let the real enemy see our intentions."
"Therefore, New Kingdom of Pendor and Bacchus Empire must still be hostile countries, and the war between the two countries must continue to fight, and it is even better to fight more and more fiercely... Only in this way, the real enemies will all jump out."
"Since Snake Worship Cult deliberately prompted Kairos and his son to set fire to Noldo Forest and trigger an all-out war between the two countries, and at the same time also caused trouble in Imperial Port, then their intention is It's obvious - they want to take advantage of the war between the two countries to find Abyssal Gate in Lake Alaclay, try to lift the seal of Kavala, and they want to jump out and take advantage after the war between the two countries consumes each other's resources and troops."
"Then, if nothing unexpected happens, Snake Worship Cult must have started to march towards Noldo Forest now - His Majesty Marus said before that Imperial Port's enemies have sent troops to the north, and they probably intend to go to Lake Alaclay."
"It is easier to destroy the enemy if you can judge the enemy's movements..."
"Therefore, His Majesty Li Ang should continue to lead his troops to 'pursue the victory and attack all the way into the hinterland of the empire', while His Majesty Marus will 'retreat step by step'... all the way to the south of the empire."
"Of course, I am not good at how the two majesties secretly deploy military forces. I am not good at implementing these specific tactics..."
"Anyway, we need to make this war more and more serious - at least it seems to be more and more serious, to make Snake Worship Cult think that the war between the two countries will continue... until all the enemies jump out, including the hidden enemies within the empire... Let the enemies appear in the open, and then the two countries join forces to destroy them in one fell swoop!"
Alina finished talking about her plan, then looked at the two kings holding cups, waiting for the two bosses to make a decision.
"Use the trick..."
Emperor Marius put down his wine glass and nodded in approval. "Good plan... It really should be like this."
"Then, let's synchronize our strategies..."
Li Ang also put down his wine glass, dipped his finger in some wine and drew a map on the table. "In other words, His Majesty Marus you want to make it look like you are retreating for hundreds of miles, but in fact you are organizing troops all the way south and transferring most of the troops to Imperial Port... And I will 'pursue the victory' and continue to 'attack' the territory of Bax... But in fact, I will transfer the troops to Wolwen and Amera Fortress respectively, intercept those enemies trying to go to Lake Alaclay, and continue to march south to surround the enemies of Imperial Port. In the end, we can completely eliminate all enemies north of Imperial Port, approximately at the position of Buyulin Village."
"Okay, let's do it."
Marius nodded. "I will drive all the enemies out of Imperial Port, expel them to the north, and ensure that they cannot leave by sea. The responsibility of intercepting and completely destroying them will be handed over to you, and Erudition City's food reserves will be used as your army rations - in other words, you have to 'take advantage of the victory and attack all the way into Erudition City'..."
Li Ang also nodded to express understanding, and the old man and the young man held hands together.
The two hostile countries, which had just tried their best to fight each other to the death, decided on this cooperation plan in a way that seemed quite hasty.
"But... what should we tell the soldiers about our meeting, or the outcome of our peace talks? This plan must not be told to anyone. If nothing else happens, there is likely to be Snake Worship Cult spies among the soldiers on both sides..."
Li Ang stood up and asked Emperor Marius hesitantly.
"Let's just say that I planned to sue for peace after the defeat, but the two of us broke down - you just won a big victory, why should you want to negotiate with me? Pursuing the victory is your best choice..."
Marius calmly said some humiliating words.
"This... Your Majesty, you can't say that, can you?"
Agason looked at Emperor Marius with some hesitation: "Your Majesty, I understand this plan, and it must not be disclosed to any soldiers. But... if you are defeated and ask for peace, you will retreat hundreds of miles all the way.", and His Majesty Li Ang 'invaded Erudition City and robbed the stored grain'... Then it will be difficult for us to explain to the domestic military and civilians! The morale of the military will be very low, and people will think that you have been completely defeated..."
"Defeated? I was defeated in the first place. What's not to admit? This time I was defeated and sued for peace. In the end, I used Erudition City's grain reserves in exchange for New Kingdom of Pendor to retreat... This is a fact. If we had continued to fight, the result would have been the same - the only difference is that many more people on both sides would die, and then Snake Worship Cult would take advantage of it."
Emperor Marius glanced at Agason and sighed, "Agason, what are you worried about?"
"Your Majesty, your body... and this plan will cause a huge stain on your reputation..."
Agason is obviously very troubled by this result.
This would indeed have an impact on Marius' reputation, or at least on people's perception of his military capabilities - outsiders did not know about this cooperation plan, and it was impossible to tell others about this plan.
People will only know that 'Emperor Marius personally led the army with a larger number of troops, but continued to lose troops and generals. He retreated steadily under the attack of Li Ang, retreating for hundreds of miles, unable to organize any decent resistance'...
"I'm about to die, so what do I care about my reputation? I only care about whether I can preserve the vitality of the empire. I only care about whether I can kill Snake Worship Cult...Agason. Only the emperor who can make the people live and work in peace and contentment has a reputation. I am just a tinker. I only hope that I can tinker with this pot again before I die - this is my destiny."
Emperor Marius handed the helmet in his arms to Alina behind him, stood up and started chasing people away. "Okay, let's do it this time, I plan to be dictatorial this time...Agason, send Li Ang back, Luciana and I still have something to say."
Marius was Alina's adopted father. These days, adopted father is equal to biological father. If father and daughter want to talk, of course outsiders can't interfere in the conversation.
Li Ang, Agason and others all withdrew from the military camp.
On the way to send Li Ang back, Agason was always worried and his face was full of anxiety.
"Li Ang Your Majesty..."
After sending Li Ang outside the Bacchus Army camp, Agason stopped and asked Li Ang a strange question, "If... if His Majesty Marus passed away... how would you deal with the Bacchus Empire?"
After all, Agason is the general who has followed Emperor Marius for twenty years. He understands Emperor Marius, and he also knows that Emperor Marius will sacrifice his life in exchange for all Baxian's firm resistance to Snake Worship Cult.
What he was worried about before was not just Emperor Marius's life and reputation.
He was also worried about what would happen to the Bacchus Empire after Emperor Marius died...
He believed that Marius and Li Ang could definitely work together to destroy Snake Worship Cult, but what about after solving Snake Worship Cult?
After that, who else can Bacchus Empire face an opponent like Li Ang?
Li Ang was silent for a while and asked Agason: "Is the empire without His Majesty Marus still the empire in your heart?"
"... I don't know..."
Agason thought for a long time and finally shook his head.
"Agason, an empire that allows people to live and work in peace and contentment is the empire that His Majesty Marus wants. If you can't do this after His Majesty Marus passes away, then I will help His Majesty Marus achieve this wish."
Li Ang patted Agason on the shoulder. "This is my answer."
Agason stood there speechlessly, looking up at the sky.
The drizzle falling from the sky soaked his eyes.
Pendor Calendar On August 8, 358, Battle of Seren broke out.
Bacchus Empire His Majesty Emperor Marius Gaius invites King New Kingdom of Pendor His Majesty Li Ang Griffin for a decisive battle in the way that gentlemen in ancient times would fight.
On August 9th of the following day, His Majesty King Li Ang of New Kingdom of Pendor personally led the cavalry to charge into the Bax army formation. New Kingdom of Pendor's morale was greatly boosted, and he defeated Bacchus Empire with his inferior force.
On the 10th, Bacchus Empire Emperor His Majesty Marus asked for peace from New Kingdom of Pendor after his defeat.
His Majesty King New Kingdom of Pendor Li Ang attended the peace talks as a courtesy and expressed condolences to Emperor Marius who was seriously ill, but rejected the proposal for peace.
It is said that Emperor Marius tried to exchange a large amount of grain for His Majesty Li Ang to withdraw his troops, but His Majesty Li Ang said, "I can get the grain myself," and then got up and left.
But what is special about this peace talk is that the two kings negotiated in Emperor Marius's military camp - at that time Emperor Marius was seriously ill and had difficulty moving.
New Kingdom of Pendor's Li Ang His Majesty took only a few followers and went deep into the enemy camp to meet with the enemy emperor. He was extremely courageous and a brave man.
However, Emperor Marius, despite the unfavorable situation after the defeat, did not detain His Majesty Li Ang. This can be said to have outstanding credibility and can be called a model of a gentleman.
Both emperors are admirable heroes of the day. The unsuccessful peace talks between Battle of Seren and the two emperors are true examples of nobles and will be remembered by all countries.
--This is a topic that is spreading among the taverns and nobles in the Pande Continent.
If nothing else, historians from various countries will also record the matter according to this version.
History is a little girl who can be dressed up by anyone, especially the history involving two emperors.
The original Ulrich is also recorded in historical records as 'died bravely in the face of a powerful enemy alone' - this is also what is engraved on the epitaph.
And historical data will probably record that after Battle of Seren won a great victory, Li Ang led the army to continue southward, defeating all who stood in its way without encountering an opponent, and broke into the Bacchus Empire's cultural center Erudition City with overwhelming force.
Historical data will also record that Governor Justus, who was just released by Li Ang, was unable to prevent Li Ang from taking away Erudition City's grain reserves, just because of the existence of Radiant Knightly Order, Li Ang failed to capture Erudition City. However, Emperor Marius failed to organize an effective counterattack and could only continue to retreat south. The entire eastern part of Bax was exposed to the iron hoof of New Kingdom of Pendor.
As for Wolvun Fortress lord Rimusk rebelled against the country and defected to New Pandor; Amera Fortress lord Gollus was defeated and died, and the castle was occupied by Noldo Elves. These are normal and small things, not worth mentioning...
Ten days later.
Pendor Calendar 358 August 20.
Li Ang has led the troops to Amera Fortress.
Alina is no longer with Li Ang at this time - she stayed with Emperor Marius.
It is inevitable that she will spend her last days with her adoptive father.
The troops Li Ang brought to Amera Fortress were about two thousand people, including New Pendor Second Legion and his Noldo Guard composed of Silver Hand and Free Legion.
All other troops were divided and sent to various places.
The reason why Silver Hand is classified as the second legion is because New Pendor First Legion is actually the original non-commissioned officer unit and the escorts in Long River Express - this is the earliest team. The legion number of Li Ang is only based on the time when the unit was established...
The establishment of the First Legion has also expanded to 2,000 people, mainly because Long River Express's manpower has been growing.
No other troops have such numbers because they are not directly under Li Ang.
Horn Summon Ranger Corps has replied to Long River City, and Ralph has been appointed again by Li Ang as Long River City military affairs officer, responsible for the defense of the eastern region.
Leofric Earl became the lord of Calundru Castle, and his troops also stayed in Calundru Castle to serve as a garrison.
Forster returned to Lion Lake City with heavy cavalry. His mission was to defend the north and pay close attention to the outcome of the Raven Territory brother-brother struggle for the throne.
Wolvun Fortress Lord Rimusk was transferred to Imir, and was awarded the title of baron. He was controlled by Leofric - if he demoted a general, he would definitely be transferred, Rimusk also knows this. But Li Ang is quite kind. Imir is very close to Wolwen, and Imir is a big town. Rimusk does not suffer at all.
And Wolvun Fortress, Li Ang made Isildur the lord, that is to say, he assigned Wolwen to Duchy of Noldo.
Isildur is not the direct subordinate of Li Ang - his allegiance is to Wendy. Although Li Ang is the object of Wendy's allegiance, he bypassed Wendy and directly appointed Isildur, which is actually not in line with the process.
However, no one expressed any opinions on this, everyone acquiesced, Wendy's is Li Ang's...
Also placed under Duchy of Noldo was Amera Fortress, and this castle was sealed to Risadiran.
Of course, Risadiran himself will not be permanently stationed at Amera Fortress, his position is still the guard captain of Li Ang.
Currently, Duchy of Noldo already has four outlying castles - White Deer Fortress, Shield Wind Fortress, Wolvun Fortress, and Amera Fortress. These castles are outside Noldo Forest, enclosing the border of Duchy of Noldo.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty Wendy has sent news that she has led Lord Aldarian's and Vendathir's troops through the entire forest for inspection and will arrive at Amera Fortress tomorrow. So far, they have not found any trace of the enemy in the forest."
Risadiran is reporting military information to Li Ang.
"In other words, the enemy should not be able to enter Noldo Forest yet. It is probably because the road over Fidne is not very easy..."
Li Ang nodded. "Send the order to Isildur to gather at Pavlon and prepare to go south to fight."
In this battle, Li Ang is preparing to use Noldo Elves as the main force - because the enemy is Snake Worship Cult.
On the one hand, there are definitely no spies from Snake Worship Cult in Noldo Elves.
On the other hand, Alina received news from Imperial Port three days ago. It seems that there are some "swallowed ones" among the enemy. They may be full of poison, and the conventional troops will suffer heavy losses.