In Genoa, Giovanni can be said to have also been born into a traditional aristocratic family. Although Rome and Genoa have different national conditions, Giovanni will be somewhat troubled by the direct use of the knife against the domestic aristocracy.

Of course, he would not have chosen to disobey John's orders.

To deal with these jumping clowns, it is not necessary for the entire legion to be dispatched on all fronts, John's plan is to use this group of nobles to test the combat effectiveness of the new legion.

In the previous Balkan battles with the Ottomans, the musketeer regiment had not been able to play its role, and in fact John was reluctant to carry this regiment out. There will inevitably be a bloody battle with the Ottomans in the future. When the musketeer regiment really came into formation, it should be the best outcome to give the Ottomans a surprise head-on attack. Until then, it is better to try the knife with these restless nobles and their private soldiers.

The Legion of the New Roman Phalanx was independent of the Legion of the Phoenix, but the current supreme commander remained Giovanni. In order to ensure that the flanks of the new Roman phalanx were not threatened, Giovanni eventually mobilized a large number of cavalry from the Phoenix Legion for protection.

"Your Majesty...... In front is the Fort of Kofite Hill, which is also the bridgehead connecting Kastoria and Epirus. If this group of nobles were to start a rebellion, they should first take control of the fortress. ”

Mount Kofit is the last obstacle before entering the plains of Kastoria. The Fort of Kofite Hill is one of the military strongholds of Kastoria. It's just that before the Phoenix Legion entered Kastoria, the battle to capture the fortress didn't last long, and the heavy infantry found an opportunity to rush to the city wall, which probably meant that the war was coming to an end.

"The gates seem to be very tight......," said John, who came down with his entire legion. The gates of Fort Kofit Hill are old gates in the form of iron grilles. It's hard to knock through with a traditional battering cone. However, there was not a single defender on the city wall, and the whole mountain fort was as silent as a dead city.

As a purely military fortress, there would be no civilians in the castle, but such an important place would never be empty.

"This bunch of guys...... What are you doing? ”

The ladder to the city was soon erected. But Fort Kofit Hill was as dead as if it had been abandoned.

"Your Majesty! The iron cable that opened the gate was broken, and the gate could not be opened......" shouted the soldier who had been the first to climb the wall.

"Are they trying to stall for time?" John wasn't so sure, "Maybe they're reinforcing the defenses of Kastoria?" After all, there are only a few soldiers that can be used at hand, I'm afraid they want to concentrate and use them? ”

"Your Majesty, Kastoria doesn't have that many fortifications that are easy to defend and difficult to attack. Of course, they are not officially on the opposite side of the empire now, and we should not take the initiative to attack. ”

"Of course I know that, there's no need to leave something for anyone else. It also makes it easier for them to jump out later. However, we can force them to lead a rebellion. John smiled imperceptibly, "You know, since this group of nobles has evacuated Fort Kofit, it is enough to show that they know more or less about our troops, and at this time, they are the most worried and nervous. ”

"It is normal for these traditional Roman nobles to be free under the Ottomans."

"So, if you want to eradicate the old aristocratic power that has been deposited in Castoria for a long time, violence is an indispensable means. We can completely tear down their back roads first, and eat them up and wipe them clean little by little. ”

Bypassing Fort Kofett Hill would require several more days of mountain travel and the risk of non-combat attrition. John simply told the soldiers to start building siege towers on the spot, so that the cavalry horses could pass through it.

"Eat and wipe clean?"

"Although it is a local nobility, of course, it is impossible for Kastoria to have only one family in absolute power, and these families may have been temporarily united because of the core interests of the empire, as the warlords of Epirus had done before. This alliance is not as strong as our armistice with the Ottomans. To put it bluntly, as long as one of the families is promised enough benefits, they will naturally find a way to escape from this fragile covenant. After all, if they are enemies of the entire empire, even with these small nobles who don't have much troops, sooner or later they will be a dead word. ”

"There is nothing difficult in separating this group of nobles, but the benefit that the empire can promise them is nothing more than local autonomy, so won't our expedition be meaningless?"

"Not really, Giovanni." John laughed, "Some people have received benefits, and the most anxious ones should be other people who have not received benefits." They must have been mistaken for the imminent outcast of the Empire and were forced to raise the banner of rebellion. When the time comes, it will be time to test the combat effectiveness of our new legion. ”

It took an additional two days of marching time for the Phoenix Legion to get through the Fort of Kofit, and when they arrived at the foot of Castoria, they did score exactly as John and Giovanni had estimated—the walls were sparsely lined with defenders and unevenly equipped, but it was clear that they were hostile to the Phoenix Legion from afar.

"General Giovanni, how did you come to Kastoria with such a majestic army? Shouldn't your garrison be in Combrigne? Above the city walls, a middle-aged nobleman in his forties shouted, "Everything is safe around Kastoria now, and there is no need for His Majesty John's direct legion to come to the rescue." ”

"Count Joel, by your Majesty's commandment, open the gates. The new clan will swap the co-defense with the local clan. Kastoria is also currently under the rule of His Majesty John, and you should currently be a vassal of His Majesty! ”

Joel Gregor. In the Balkans, there was also a certain nobility of prestige, but the family of Gregor of Castoria had voluntarily surrendered to the Ottoman army without even making any resistance, and Joel, although he inherited the title of the entire county of Castoria, was in fact the most despised class in the circle of the Roman upper nobility.

"Of course I know that, General Giovanni, but the gates of Kastoria have been in trouble lately and can't be opened. You can rest outside the city for a while, and when the craftsmen in the city have repaired the city gates, I will definitely treat you and your men with a feast! ”

"I'm afraid the gates of all the cities in Kastoria are broken now, Mr. Joel?"

"Sometimes it's normal to fall into disrepair, General Giovanni." Joel's eyes suddenly froze!

On the city wall, a cold arrow flew out of Giovanni's scalp!