He looked around at the other three and said, "I have two pieces of news right now, one good and one bad, which one do you want to hear first?" ”

"Hear the bad news first." Drax preemptively said.

"This morning, not far from the swamp of the caravan returning to Turiyi, it was attacked by 300 sailors from Crotone, and the freemen guarding the baggage were momentarily unprepared, resulting in 50 casualties and a lot of losses to the pack beasts. Before our soldiers arrived, the enemy had fled back to the ships anchored on the coast...... "Davers read aloud.

"300 people?! The number of Crotonens involved in the attack has increased, and they have become more and more emboldened! I remember that there was our garrison near the swamp! Capps said in surprise.

"Perhaps it is because of this that the escort team has lost its vigilance." Davos said with a serious expression: "We must learn the lesson of this time to ensure that we will not do it again in the future!" ”

Cappus and Dracos clenched their fists and nodded vigorously.

"It's a shame that we don't have a fleet, otherwise how could we make it easy for the Crotone people to attack our villages and kill and injure our people in our territory!" Drax said angrily.

In this regard, everyone is helpless, after all, Dionya is an emerging alliance, it has been established for less than a year, and the navy is not like the army, as long as there are people, weapons, and strict training, it can be sent to the battlefield in a few months. The warships of the navy, especially the main warship, the three-layer oared warship, will take at least three months to launch even if it is accelerated, and it will also require nearly 200 sailors and experienced helmsmen...... And so on, after training, running-in, and then skillfully maneuvering the warship, it will take several months to form combat effectiveness. Therefore, the navy is an expensive branch of troops that consumes time, money, and manpower, and small city-states simply cannot afford to raise it, and with the current strength of the Dionian Alliance, money and manpower are not a big problem, the most lacking thing is time. After this war with Crotone, Davers has secretly listed the "establishment of a navy" as the top priority of the next alliance development in his heart.

"Lord Davers, what's the good news?" Avinokis asked.

Davers smiled slightly: "Lockry has sent troops to attack Coronia!" As you said, in such a situation, Crotone may consider making peace with us again. If it still doesn't move," Davers' voice suddenly became as cold as the wind, "I will order Hieronymus to send troops across the Thachinadi River and destroy the farmland, villages, and canals outside the city of Crotone...... and all other facilities, forcing the Crotone people to come and negotiate! ”

…………………

Early in the morning of the second day, Lycias and Sisprotis entered the tent of the Chinese army in Dionia.

Davers looked at them and said with a smile on his face, "Lord Lucias, I said we would meet again, but I didn't expect it to come true so soon. ”

Lucias ignored Davers's ridicule and said with a serious expression: "Lord Davers, the negotiation conditions you proposed last time, the Council of Crotone agreed to give up Crimesa and hand it over to Dionia, and is willing to pay a certain amount of money to bring about peace!" As for the dissolution of the Crotone League—"

Lucias paused, thinking about how to use language to better convince Davers, but Sis Protis answered: "The council agreed in principle to dissolve the alliance, but now Lockley is attacking Coronia, based on the deep friendship between Coronia and Crotone for hundreds of years, Crotone must give Coronia assistance, and having the identity of the leader of the alliance is conducive to Crotone to gather citizens, form an army, reinforce Coronia, and repel Locklee...... We'll ...... after we've repelled them. Disbanded again...... Sisprotis suddenly choked up and couldn't speak. Crotone's century-old hegemony in Greater Greece, which was laid down by the ancestors of the Crotone people, who worked hard and fought bloody battles, is now going to be in vain...... How could he not be excited and uncontrollable.

Lucias, who originally complained that Sith Protes had given all his hole cards to the other party as soon as he came up, was completely stupid, and his heart was also full of sadness at the moment.

"Crotone doesn't need to dissolve the Alliance!" The first thing Davers said came out of his mouth was a surprise to the two of them.

Davers looked at the surprised expressions of the two and continued: "Even, Dionya can immediately release the tens of thousands of captured citizens of Crotone!" ”

Lycias and Sithprotius looked at each other, unable to believe their ears.

"But I have one condition." Davers said slowly, "Dionia is not in the habit of returning what he has in his hands. ”

Lycias's reaction was quick: "What do you mean...... Aspraustum? ”

Davers smiled, "It's not just that. ”

He walked over to the map and pointed his finger at a spot: "Our Dionian army has begun to camp here!" ”

Lucias stepped forward to take a look, and couldn't help but gasp: "You still want the land on the north bank of the Netto River?!" ”

"It's not that I want, but that if I want Dionia to have peace talks, I have to meet the conditions!" "Crotone was aggressive, and twice waged wars against the Tourii and the Ionian League, burning the Tourii, plundering wealth, and wantonly slaughtering the Ionian people. Driven by the goddess of revenge, we fought back bravely. Hades's blessing allowed us to win one victory after another. The confidence of the people of Dionya is high, and they want to let Crotone suffer the pain of being burned again! Without the abundant booty, our people will never agree to peace talks with you! There have been many suggestions that more than 10,000 captives should be sent to the mines, just as Syracuse did with the Athenian captives! ”

Devostur's tone made Sisprotis's hair stand on end, of course he knew what happened to the soldiers of the expeditionary force who were captured in Athens that year, and he said in a trembling voice: "Asphorustum plus the land on the north bank of the Neto, these almost occupy one of the territory of one of the three roots of Crotone, if they are all given to Theoria, what will happen to so many people of Crotone who originally lived in these lands?!" It is impossible for the council to agree! ”

"These two wars have cost Crotone and Aspraustum the lives of no less than 20,000 citizens, and the land should have been abandoned a lot, so moving the people to Crotone City, replenishing manpower, and redistributing the land that lacks labor, I think this is a good way to reorganize Crotone, and at the same time make peace with Dionia, and also allow the returning citizens of Crotone to form an army again to help Coronia and repel Lockry, which is a good thing to kill multiple birds with one stone!" Davers said in a deep voice.

There seemed to be some kind of temptation in his words, which made Sisprotis want to nod his head, he subconsciously looked at Lucias, Lucias shook his head slightly, Sisprotis opened his mouth, but did not speak, and then fell silent.

"Of course, you can also go back and discuss slowly, I'm not in a hurry at all. Perhaps, in a few days, it will not be you who will stand in front of me, but Lockrie. As long as we can work with Dionia, I don't think Lockley will care how much Crotone land is caught. Davers said slowly, with an indifferent look.

Lycias and Sisprotis felt a chill all over their bodies, and Sisprotis hurriedly said: "Dear Lord Davers, all the land on the north bank of the Neto River has been given to Dionia, it is indeed ...... It's really hard to get the council to agree to this, but part of the land is ...... I think it's a ...... for you. We can discuss how much it will be. As for Aspraustum—"

Hearing this, Davers unceremoniously interrupted him: "Asprarustum must be in the hands of Dionia, this is not negotiable!" to avoid Crotone from breaking his word again, tearing up the agreement and starting a war! ”

Sisprotis stood awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

Lucias sighed in his heart, Sith Protis's easy compromise and incompetent weakness left him speechless, but this is the council's choice! In fact, Lucias also understands that the war has been going on so far, and Crotone has been completely passive. Even if he was confident that Dionia's army would not be able to break through the fortified city of Crotone, and even force Dionya to retreat in the end, but so what! With the destruction of farmland, villages, and town facilities, and the lack of young and middle-aged citizens, it will be a long process for Crotone to return to its former prosperity. However, the dire situation did not allow Crotone to have a luxurious time, and the panicked people did not have the determination to fight to the end. Therefore, compromise and concession in exchange for peace, reducing losses and preparing for future revival became the best option for the council.

Thinking of this, Lucias no longer hesitated: "Asproustum is the northern barrier of Crotone, and if it falls into the hands of the enemy, it will only make the people of Crotone feel more uneasy. I think even if the council agrees, the citizens' assembly will oppose it! ”

"So you have rejected Dionia's terms for peace talks." Davers looked at Lycias in a stiff tone.

Sisprotis anxiously tugged at Lycias's clothes, and Lycias said calmly: "The people of Crotone oppose the enemy's possession of Asproustum, but they will not necessarily oppose its occupation by allies. ”

"Allies?!" Davers, who had been calm and steady in control of the pace of negotiations, also looked a little surprised.

"That's right!" Lycias raised her head and said loudly: "As long as Dionya forms an alliance with Crotone, then it will not be a big problem for Asphorustum and part of the land on the north bank of the Neto River to be handed over to Dionia. ”