"Yes, Your Majesty!" Tissaphernes couldn't help but look at Masabadi and thought, 'No wonder this guy has an ugly expression. If the Empress Dowager, Parisati, finds out that her most beloved youngest son was beheaded and cut off his hand, she will never let it go!'
"Tissaphernes, do you think that the Greeks will surrender?"
"Your Majesty!… With my understanding of the several main Greek mercenary leaders, I am afraid that… it will be very difficult. However, there may be a small number of people who are willing to obey your will, Your Majesty!" Tissaphernes said cautiously.
"It's good to cause internal strife!" Artaxerxes flicked his chin with his finger. Thinking of the swift impact of the Greek hoplites yesterday, he still had a lingering fear,"… if they don't want to surrender, then… expel them. Too many Persians have died in this rebellion! Don't let these rude and barbaric Greeks continue to plunder our property on my land! Kill our people!" Artaxerxes sighed. He is gentle by nature and doesn't like to argue with others, otherwise, he wouldn't have indulged Cyrus the Younger to this day and caused such chaos. Even when Cyrus the Younger started his army, he was hesitant and wanted to retreat east. If it wasn't for the ministers trying their best to dissuade him and support him, I am afraid that the battle yesterday wouldn't have happened.
"Your Majesty, you love the people of the empire like your own children! I am very happy that the empire has a benevolent monarch like you!" Tissaphernes' words came from his heart. It was because of Artaxerxes' character that he had gained the support of most of the ministers and nobles, so although Cyrus the Younger rebelled, there was no great turmoil in the core area of the empire.
"Your Majesty, I have an idea!… Why not drive the Greeks north…" said Tissaphernes.
Artaxerxes pondered. He understood that Tissaphernes did not want the Greeks to trample on his territory again – Asia Minor.
"To the north…" His eyes lit up as he thought of the tribes of the mountain people who were unwilling to submit and were unruly, such as the Duchesians…
Let these barbarians fight each other! He thought and smiled.
"You are in charge of this matter! I will wait for your good news in Persepolis!" After saying this, he couldn't wait to go home, because yesterday, there was news that there was another riot in eastern Persepolis. He must return to the capital as soon as possible to hold the fort. Moreover, he began to miss his queen, Statilla.
…
In the early morning, a thin fog filled the region of Kunasak, the whole Greek camp was quiet, and most people were still asleep.
Davos walked out of the tent and curiously looked at this strange place.
Yes, he is no longer Davos himself, his soul came from China in the 21st century. As a civil servant of the government, he had suffered for more than a decade before he was promoted to the director of the high-tech development zone in the city. His friends held a banquet to congratulate him, and he got drunk, but when he woke up, he found himself in a strange place and became a stranger.
He had pinched his thigh time again just to prove that he was dreaming, and even now, his thigh still hurts.
After a long night of adaptation, he was no longer tangled with why he was here. His adaptability was strong. When he entered the government office with first place in the civil service exam, he was sent to a remote and poor mountain area to be a village officer and stayed there for a few years. Not only did he persevere, but he also won the favor of the county leaders with his excellent performance and was summoned back to be entrusted with important tasks.
… It's just that his parents and his girlfriend who is about to marry… are now separated by time and space, and there will be no day of reunion… He took a long breath and tried to blow away the sadness in his heart.
After walking a short distance, his mood calmed down slightly. He wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes and warned himself, 'Since we have arrived at a new world, then let's live tenaciously here!'
According to the memory of this body, he knew that "he" was a Cesarean. Two years ago, because of his livelihood, he, who was only 17 years old, went out with his companions in the village to serve as mercenaries to earn money. A year ago, Macedonia had a conflict with Cesare, and the Macedonian cavalry attacked his hometown, his parents were killed, and his relatives were captured… now, he is alone. This time, he followed the mercenary leader Meno and helped the Persian prince, Cyrus the Younger, fight.
Last night, his companions thought that he had gone to sleep, but in fact, he had been listening to their conversation. Through the conversations with his companions, he learned more. As a good young man in the 21st century, he could barely be considered a nationalistic youth. When he was a village officer, he spent most of his time on the internet to survive the long and lonely night. He poured water on some military forums, and it almost became his side occupation. Therefore, he learned a lot about history and military knowledge, and he knew that he might have spent time after the Peloponnesian War.
As for the Greek mercenaries helping the Persian prince to rebel and usurp the throne, which part of Western history was involved? As a non-historical professional, the requirements were too high, and he really couldn't think of it. It wasn't until someone said the words "We have tens of thousands of Greek infantry" that evoked his hidden memory.
At one time, someone in the forum had advocated that understand the ancient history of the west, some books must be read. Among the list of books, there was a book called "The Long March" that aroused his curiosity, "The ancient west also has long march?" Because the author happened to be a historical figure that he knew, so he checked it on the internet and found out that it came from an ancient historical event in the west named "The Retreat of the Greeks".
Because Davos vaguely remembered that the rebellious prince had died in the chaos due to his rashness, so he blurted it out in a moment of panic. However, he didn't expect that the others were more or less hoping for Cyrus the Younger to win and everyone to make a fortune together, so they couldn't accept his guess.
Faced with one question after another, he, who had just arrived, didn't want to have a bad relationship with his companions. Perhaps he also had a bit of fantasy in his heart, 'Maybe this isn't a historical event.' So he became silent.
As a result, everyone parted on bad terms. That night, he did not sleep well. The unfamiliar environment and his fear of the future made him toss and turn, unable to fall asleep.
Early the next morning, he walked out of the tent and faced this strange new world for the first time. What came into his sight were tents one after another, which seemed to be endless.
Breathing in the damp and fresh air, he summoned up his courage and walked forward. Occasionally, when someone came out of the tent and saw him greeting him, he would respond with a smile. There were even warriors who knew about his injury and asked about his injury with concern, and he would stop to express his gratitude and take the opportunity to chat with them and learn about the situation from others. Obviously, it was not because he was a big shot that everyone treated him friendly, but because some of the mercenaries under Meno were from Thessalians, and many of them had even fought together with him for more than two years and were familiar with each other. So as he walked, his unfamiliarity gradually dissipated.
Not far away, the neighing of horses attracted him to move forward. In the memory of Davos, this large area surrounded by wooden fences, in the center of their camp, is the supply camp of the mercenaries led by Meno. There are not only a lot of horses and mules but also some cattle and sheep that they have looted along the way, as well as a batch of food given to Meno by Cyrus the Younger. Moreover, there are also merchants stationed there, and when passing through the big city, there will even be nearby * * coming here to earn money.
When he reached the entrance, a group of guards with spears stopped him.
"No one is allowed to enter without Meno's order!" Behind the guard, a short and fat man shouted angrily.
Davos looked at him and turned around, he didn't want to get into trouble. Behind him, the fatty reprimanded the guards, "Next time someone comes, you must be more fierce, otherwise, you won't be able to stop these thieves! From last night until now, you have lost five sheep. When Meno punishes me, I will punish you!"
It seems that the mercenaries are seriously short of food! He doesn't know how much food the Persian army had stolen yesterday. As he walked, he thought about it, and unknowingly, a simple wall made of branches and wooden sticks that were inserted loosely in the soil blocked his way. Although there were still dense tents in front of him, he knew that it was another mercenary camp.
At this time, the sun has risen high in the sky, the fog has gradually dispersed, and their sight can now be seen far away. The sky is high and wide, the wind is clear and refreshing, and for a moment, they are intoxicated….I heard from their companions that the city in front is Babylon, and not far away is the Euphrates River. One is the capital of one of the four ancient civilizations, and the legendary sky garden is desirable, and the other is the mother river of the people of the plains of Mesopotamia. But I don't know if I will have the chance to see it.
However, the sudden boiling of the camp alarmed him. An uneasy feeling surged in his heart and he quickly returned.
At this time, the soldiers came out of the tent one after another, and with nervous and uneasy expressions, they discussed with each other excitedly. The words that entered his ears had all turned into six words: Cyrus the Younger is dead!
His heart sank, 'This is the retreat of the tens of thousands of Greeks! Won't we have to spend the rest of our lives on the run!'