"I have to say, Her Royal Highness the princess is really disgusting, and the fight you just had."

Giovanni's side of the Phoenix Legion Admiral Francisco said softly.

"How hard do you think it will be for me to mess around with these two men?" Giovanni took a sip of wine, then gave the Ottoman envoy opposite him an ambiguous look.

……

"Oh yes, this is really the last point, and we are graciously giving you a ten-year truce to give you enough time to prepare for the Crusaders."

Before and after, Sophia put forward dozens of conditions that made the Ottomans unbelievable, and Lamouya knew in his heart that although these conditions could not appear in the final armistice, he had to endure this insult.

"We have given enough respect, but the conditions you put forward are insulting me and my country!" "Even if you give us a long-awaited defeat, if our great Sultan Mehmed attacks Constantinople at all costs, you won't last long." ”

"Mr. Lamuati, the walls of Theodosius have had too many challengers. It's a pity that the queen of all cities is still standing now, but those who vainly try to challenge the dignity of the empire don't even know where the bones are blown by the wind at this time. Sophia smiled, "Of course, you can try it." Oh...... By the way, fortunately, Muhammad, who was hot-headed last time, was not stabbed in two by our heroic General Vasika, otherwise, I don't know whose order you would have come to the peace talks today......"

“…… Dear Princess Sofia Valleologo, I hope to get the real conditions of the empire, and no longer such mischievous teasing. "Being caught in the middle and back by a little girl is probably the strangest negotiation in Lamouyati's decades-long diplomatic career.

"Oh...... Well, that's not my business. Your Majesty, I'll go back to Slou first. ”

Sophia breathed a long sigh of relief, and left the palace of Laopalsia, accompanied by Yustina and under the strange gaze of the Ottoman envoys.

……

"Coming back so soon?"

"It's just to play, the real negotiation is stinky and long, and it takes days to pull back and forth at once, and I don't have the kung fu." Sofia closed the door and said, "The Ottomans probably got the idea that they had to get back the remains of Murad II and sign an armistice for as short a time as possible. They should use this time to deal with the crusaders before pointing the finger at us...... Of course, at the lowest possible cost. ”

"It is appropriate to have a good bloodletting, and at the negotiating table, it is the person who has the priority bargaining chip to speak first." John looked at the map in front of him.

After the whole offensive, although the empire lost an excessive number of troops, it fortunately got a chance to breathe, so the first task was to extend the armistice period, and secondly, to grasp a certain sea power. At least, it doesn't have to be behind the barrage of the sea wall.

However, Muhammad did not necessarily agree to this, after all, after the sea power was guaranteed, with the developed silk and other industries in the Greater Greece region, the empire's economy would be quickly restored, so that there would be more room for mediation in the face of the Ottoman offensive.

As for land access...... Unless the inner city of Edir disappears out of thin air now, Muhammad will definitely not have a brain cramp and let the empire connect the north and the south.

"Don't push too hard. In fact, our results were not so great, and Muhammad, who was young and vigorous, could not have endured so much. We don't want to see a lose-lose situation. John sighed lightly, "After all, the national strength is still insufficient, otherwise you might be able to kill a few Ottomans alive in Rappaolsha Palace today." ”

"I always think it's not a good thing to say...... Sophia glared at John, "but then again, if the Eastern Balkans don't have our check, the Crusaders will be under a lot of pressure, right?" ”

John thought for a moment, then pulled Sophia to the map: "Remember the Battle of Varna we talked about earlier?" ”

"The one you came up with out of thin air?"

"Yes. As it stands, there will be a decisive battle between the Ottomans and the Crusaders after this winter. "In Varna, in other places, both sides must want to resolve this pointless delay as soon as possible." A decisive battle should be inevitable. ”

"I'm afraid it's not good news...... Sophia frowned.

John smiled and asked, "Why?" Afraid of the defeat of the crusade? ”

Sophia shook her head: "Whoever wins or loses won, it won't help the empire much." Next year, no matter how much the empire develops, it will not be able to compete with the Ottomans. The only ones that can really be put on the table are the Imperial Garrison Legion and the Phoenix Legion. The garrison needed to defend Thrace and Constantinople. The number of people we can draw is too limited. ”

"Sophia, you...... Want to intervene in their decisive battle? ”

"Brother, in the Balkans, we need to embezzle the greatest interests."

"I know what you mean, the best-case scenario is for the Crusaders and the Ottomans to lose. However, the Crusaders are our allies on the surface, and the Ottomans will soon sign an armistice with us. We can't afford to swagger and let the main army become a third party. John shook his head and said, "Even if you clean up the mess, no matter which side you help, it will have a great negative impact, and it is not cost-effective compared to the benefits you may get." ”

Sophia didn't speak again, but John could feel the urge that was strongly suppressed in her. If she thinks of any compromise, I'm afraid the Phoenix Legion will have to run again.

……

The talks at La Opalsa continued intermittently for a week, and apart from the farce of the first day, the rest of the negotiations were basically about the date of the armistice and the territorial question. After all, it is unrealistic to let the Ottomans cede land and pay reparations, but the Roman Empire also needs to grab more benefits.

In order to put more pressure on Lamuya, the imperial side even put on the negotiating logic of "the body preservation process is not perfect". On the first day, Lamuyati, who had lost all his face, lost his majesty, and was anxious to return to Muhammad, had to back down again and again.

The armistice will last five years and four months, at the beginning of spring, when the two sides will fight again. In this battle, the land occupied by the Eastern Roman Empire was also recognized.

Although parts of Thrace were still in the hands of the Ottomans, this was the best imaginable scenario for the empire.