The reason was simple: the Dionian army had to keep the pontoon bridge over the Euphrates in order to keep the transport road open.

When the army began to build the camp, the soldiers found a problem: the area was a long plain, covered with some yellow grass, and from time to time there were clusters of bushes and reeds, but not a single tree in sight.

Unable to make a wooden fence, the soldiers had to dig more earth to ram the earthen wall.

Of course, there were also things that pleased the soldiers, such as the fact that the terrain was unusually open, and the camps of the legions could be completely spread out, as in Canaan and Syria, where the hedgehogs had to be gathered together because of the narrow terrain, and there was little room for maneuver, let alone Phoenicia.

Another thing that excites the soldiers is that there are many animals living on the plains north of the city of Taposacus. Wild asses, antelopes, bustards, and even ostriches flock in flocks to feed on this wide plain, and even when they see a living person from afar, they do not panic and flee, because their running limbs or wings are strong enough for them to hide from human pursuit.

However, while the Dionian army was building a camp, it sent a regiment of Numibian light cavalry, which was the best at hunting on the plains, and thousands of Numibian light cavalry used tactics to round up wild donkeys and antelopes, and shot bustards and ostriches with bows and arrows in pursuit, providing the soldiers with a large amount of fresh meat in just two days.

In addition, the cooks in the baggage camp also used fishing nets to catch many large sturgeons in the Euphrates.

The donkey and mutton are nourishing, the bustard meat is tender, the sturgeon is delicious, and only the ostrich meat is coarse. Since the Dionian army left Egypt and fought all the way, the original reserve of dried meat has long been eaten, especially after entering the interior, the daily food is to drink hot water and nibble on bread, the soldiers did not expect to eat such a food in the territory of Taposacus City, which has become a ruin, not only exhausted, but also energetic to work.

Two days later, the Numibian cavalry, having culled all the animals in the vicinity of the camp, had to move significantly eastward in search of new prey.

One of the horsemen, chasing the wild donkey, even entered the territory of Nisephonia, and then they watched in amazement as a thick mist of dust rolled towards them, and the whole sky was darkened.

The Persian army is coming! …… Before they could panic and run back to the camp to report the news, the scouts had already sent the news back to the king's tent in the camp.

While Davers ordered the legions to be on guard, he also asked the scouts to keep a close eye on the movements of the Persian army and report back at any time.

In the afternoon, Davers received news again that the Persian army, 20 miles from the camp of Dionia, had halted its advance and began to camp to recuperate, and had sent a contingent of messengers of less than 10 men to meet the king of Dionia.

……………………………………………………………………………………

Before Tribasus came to the Dionian camp under the "escort" of the Dionian cavalry, he stopped and looked intently: the Dionian camp in front of him was very simple, only a long earthen ditch and an earthen wall more than a meter high, which was completely incomparable with the camp in Syria, but in two days the defense of the camp could take shape, and the Dionians were indeed very good at building fortifications.

Tribasus was secretly glad that his army had arrived in time, and at the same time wondered in his heart how his army would capture this improvised camp if the Dionian army could not hold on.

He thought as he walked, and soon came to the gate of the camp.

It is said to be the camp gate, but in fact it is just a gap in the earthen fence, and at the gap stand four heavily armed palace guards and the clerk Hennipolis.

"Welcome, messenger of Persia." Henipolis said welcome, but there was no trace of enthusiasm on his face, but he looked cold.

Terebasus showed a dazed expression, which made Henipolis immediately realize that the other party did not understand Greek, and the court clerk, who knew many Chinese, immediately repeated it again in Persian.

Trebasus realized this, and replied with his head held high, "I have come to meet your king at the command of the king—"

"Your Majesty knows your intentions, and agrees with you, come with me." Henipolis interrupted him directly, waved his hand and made a follow-up gesture, turned and walked back.

Trebasus's cheeks twitched a few times, suppressed the unhappiness in his heart, and followed him into the camp, where he immediately gathered his mind and began to look around carefully.

As far as he could see, there was some disorder in the camp: the tents were not only crooked, but also untidy, causing the passages between the tents to crook; Many soldiers in single clothes wandered between the tents, and some even lay shirtless, lying on their backs by the passage to bask in the sun, even when they saw their arrival, they did not move, and only reluctantly moved away under the reprimand of Henipolis......

Tribasus could clearly hear them muttering, "I've been building a camp for the past few days, I'm tired to death!" It's hard to lie down and rest for a while, and you have to come to disturb, it's really annoying! ”

"Isn't it just a petty official who writes documents for His Majesty, and he dares to yell at me! Annoyed me and slapped him to the ground! ”

"It's not a march, it's a camp, it's endless! We've already gained enough wealth, so why go east and retreat! ”

……

Yes, Tribasus understood Greek, but he pretended not to understand, and wanted to find out more about the Dionian camp, and he saw that the Dionian official who was leading the way had a more and more ugly face, but he had to force patience, and at last he simply stopped ordering the casual soldiers to give way, which also slowed down the progress of their group.

Trebasus remained silent, but a deliberate look of impatience appeared on his face.

Finally passing through a camp, there was a commotion in front of them: dozens of soldiers gathered, first invective, and then actually moved. It wasn't long before heavily armed patrols arrived, wielding clubs to disperse them.

"What happened?" Trebasus asked curiously.

Henipolis hid the embarrassment on his face and said perfunctorily, "Nothing, nothing, uh...... A group of energetic soldiers had a wrestling match in private, and it turned out to be too ......"

Tribasus didn't ask any further questions, but he had heard it very clearly: the two teams of soldiers were fighting over the prey they caught.

Finally before the tent of the Dionian army, Terebasus heard the quarrel coming from the tent, and he listened carefully: as if he were arguing about whether to continue the march eastward?

"Your Majesty, the Persian envoy has brought!" With a shout from Henypolis, silence soon returned to the tent, and a strong voice came out: "Bring him in!" ”

When Tribassus entered the tent, he was greeted by twenty or thirty Dionian generals in armor and brightly colored hats, who turned their heads to look at the tent fiercely, and in the center of the tent sat an old man who was also wearing armor but wearing a crown with a solemn and majestic expression.

Terebasus took two steps forward, bowed slightly, and said aloud with his head held high: "Bosnia, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Asia Minor, Egypt, Arabia, India...... and the lord of the land, the king of kings, Ahurah. The great King Artaxerxes, son of Mazda, has sent me to bring you, the Venerable King of Theonia, a letter from him, and I look forward to your reply! ”

After Tribassus had finished speaking, Hennipolis immediately translated it into Greek.

Davos laughed: "What you just said is wrong, your king is too self-deceiving, he should know that he is no longer the master of Egypt, and now Canaan, Phoenicia, Syria, and most of Asia Minor are no longer owned by Persia." ”

After listening to Henipolis's translation, Tribassus responded calmly: "The war has just begun, and it is uncertain who will win or lose, and maybe in the end, King Artaxerxes will become the master of Dionia!" ”

After listening to the translation, Davers's face changed slightly.

Before he could speak, a general suddenly stood up beside him and scolded angrily: "Damn Persian, if you dare to come here and talk nonsense, you are not afraid that I will cut off your head and kick it as a ball!" ”

Davers waved his hand: "Sit down, Mattonis!" It is a tradition that the two armies do not harm the messengers when they fight, and do not let the Persians laugh at us Dionians for not understanding etiquette. ”

Mattonis didn't listen, still glaring at Tribasus.

"Sit down!" Davers's face was a little ugly, and he shouted several times before Mattonis sat down stupidly.

This situation was seen by Tribasus.

After a while, Davers, who had calmed down, said not to be outdone: "Yes, the war has just begun, the outcome is undecided, and maybe in the end the whole of Persia will be owned by Dionia!" - Where is Artaxerxes' letter to me? ”

Tribassus immediately pulled the letter out of his bosom.

Davers looked around, and then said with a disdainful smile: "Letter, I won't read it, why don't you read it out loud, let us all listen, in the face of our powerful elite army, what will the Persian king who often loses battles say?" ”

The generals burst into laughter.

Tremasus listened to the translation, did not retort, the fierce gaze of the Dionian general just now still made him a little palpitating, in order to avoid many things, he unheard of the letterhead, and read aloud with a serious expression: "The lord of the Eastern Mediterranean, the king of kings, to the king of Dionya in the western Mediterranean, a few decades ago Dioonia was just a small state of the fur, but it was brave and aggressive, expansionist, and never stopped invading other countries, relying on looting and annexing to strengthen itself, threatening and luring to control other states, so that the surrounding city-states are all in danger.

Persia has always had the heavy responsibility of maintaining order in the Mediterranean, and has long been willing to teach Dionysia a lesson and return peace to the Mediterranean. Unexpectedly, Dionya would brazenly invade our Persian borders, occupy our territory, and kill our people, and the people will be terrified, and the gods will be wrathed! Today, I will lead a million vengeful army to the east of the territory of Taposacus, and fight you Dionia in a decisive battle to settle the enmity between the two countries once and for all—do you dare to come?! ”

Terebasus accentuated his tone and finished the last sentence word by word.