If I have to say it, the empire is far from being exhausted, but John's sentence has a sense of desperation.

The empire's current human resources are tilted, and most of them are given to the Fourth Legion, which has not yet been fully formed - this is a resource that cannot be shaken, and it is one of the core combat power of the empire in the future, and probably the future Holy See Guard and the Moria Legion will be the standing forces left behind in the Balkans. The battle for the liberation of Asia Minor will most likely require the support of the Fourth Army and its subordinate fleets. What should be given, not a single point is missing.

"Draw the men of the Peloponnese...... For the Reich, whether or not the Serbs' farce can be resolved next year is a matter of life and death. If it is delayed again and again, by the time the Ottomans come to their senses, the delicate balance between the two sides of the Aegean Sea, which has been so hard to maintain, will come to naught. Prince Thomas has always been loyal to the Empire...... Now, the empire has to requisition his army. ”

In fact, Constantine XI was highly tolerant of Prince Morea's autonomy. Most of the time, the Peloponnese had to pay only a small amount of taxes, and there was no even a hard military requirement. Such exhibition conditions have also allowed Moreah to stabilize its position as the granary of the empire. At the same time, although the combat effectiveness of the Morea Corps directly under Prince Thomas may be somewhat different from that of the Holy See Guard and the Phoenix Legion, manpower is a problem that does not need to be worried. It can be said that the Morian Legion is the last "reserve" of the Empire. And whenever Constantine XI asked Thomas for help, it was mostly a matter of life and death for the empire.

The majority agreed with John's proposal. But the core problem remains on the table and cannot be solved - the empire simply has no food to spare. It was impractical to count on Western European aid, and those guys would have been even more desperate for the empire to be beaten all the way to Constantinople by the Serbian rebels. Buy grain from Venice again, but the empire is already in debt to Venice, and even if Venice agrees, it is likely that it will take a piece of meat from the empire's mouth to taste. It is true that the Moreah is the granary of the Empire, but the Moriah Legion is also the Empire's most depleted legion. Even if it is half full, it can drain half of the empire's life. What's more, this year's imperial grain and grass harvest has failed, and Morea's grain stocks still need to be supplied to many places.

Then Constantine XI broke the awkward situation by speaking out: "John, your advice is good, but we cannot abandon the countless citizens of the empire. The Empire's economy has now hit rock bottom, and if the Moreah granary is not opened and all is used to supply the army, then this winter, I am afraid that countless people will freeze to death and starve to death in the violent snowstorm. The Empire had made a good promise to its subjects who had converted to Valleologo's rule, and I did not want that promise to become a disgrace to the Empire in the first year. Add to that the need for reinforcements from the Phoenix Legion and the Holy See...... We must not ask for help from Moreah. ”

John was still staring at the dome: "Then, let Giovanni and Angelo take a gamble." ”

"Huh?"

"I read the report from Giovanni. It was right that Hunyadi withdrew from Serbia with them. So the whole of Serbia should feel that the Romans will not return this winter...... But when the wolf really wants to bite you, he won't bark. John pulled his gaze back from the icon, and now on the top of the conference table was a sketch of Serbia, many of which were not clearly marked on the terrain, but which were enough to illustrate the general situation. From the mountains of Berich to the city of Prokupur, the Empire won a beautiful victory. After this victory, the Phoenix Legion and the Holy See were effectively on the verge of running out of food...... So, by mistake, General Giovanni ransacked Procupule's granary. At this time, counting the defenders of Nišburg, the Serb army in this area was only about 3,000 men. There is absolutely no way to create such an encirclement ambush. ”

Although the members of the Imperial Council who were proficient in military affairs, such as Angelo and Giovanni, did not have battlefields, when John said this, everyone probably understood what the so-called wolf howl meant.

"The commander of this ambush is probably the one behind the Serbian rebellion, and what he holds in his hand is probably the last hope of the Serbian rebels. But in the face of so many troops coming out, it is likely that they will be stationed at Fort Niš for repairs. After all, the losses they suffered were not insignificant...... There's a problem...... As the granary reserve of the Niš region, after the empire plundered the grain and grass, their grain must be re-transported from other places, and it will take time to raise the grain and grass. At this point, this supply line can be cut off before Smederevo's food convoy arrives, and the current embarrassing situation will no longer exist. ”

Constantine XI sat down in his seat and said noncommittally: "John, our army, including the Hungarian legions, is not so proficient in mountain warfare. The road from Smederevo to Niš was covered with mountains and dense forests, and if they had been completely prepared for supplies, the two crippled legions would probably not have been able to gnaw at this bone. Besides, this is the heart of Serbia, and they are doing their best, it's just a prediction we make, if there are any surprises...... John, you should know what the loss of the Phoenix Legion and the Holy See Guard means to the Empire. ”

"Father, I didn't say that I would personally let the Phoenix Legion and the Holy See Guard carry out such a dangerous operation." John could hear what Constantine XI was doing. This was the best way to destroy the rebellion without a single soldier, since Austria and Serbia had no reason to cooperate with each other. And if there is a shortage of food or even a shortage of food in the employment relationship between the two parties, I am afraid that it will soon collapse.

John's goal was clear, and if there was one of the Triple Alliances that could come and go freely in the blockades, sieges, and harassments of the mountains, and burst out with extraordinary combat effectiveness, there was only one choice.

Since the last time a gang of captured miners was sent to the Empire, there has been no news from Albania. If Skanderbeg can stand up this time, this rebellion may come to an early end.

"yes...... Jerj Skanderbeg ...... This guy has been quiet for a while in this counterinsurgency war. ”

Lewen