"Dionya has never had any grudges with the eastern region of Phoenicia, but they sent a fleet to attack Dionia's fleet thousands of miles away, and they deserved to be destroyed!" If they send another army, I would welcome it, for we have just acquired a number of mines lately, and we are short of slaves. ”

El Accra's heart sank, but he had to continue on the subject, because the combined fleet of East Phoenicia was completely wiped out in Carthage's sphere of influence, and the Carthaginians would not be able to see their Phoenician compatriots in the Eastern Mediterranean, who had provided great assistance to Carthage, unless they remedied.

"What do we have to pay to redeem these Phoenician sailors from the Eastern Mediterranean who you have captured?" El Accra's tone softened.

Davers looked at him and said with a slight mockery: "When your army occupied Agrigento, Echium, and Gera, you had the opportunity to redeem them in exchange for prisoners, but the army led by Margo killed all the people in the city!" ”

El Accra was silent for a moment, and then whispered, "What if Carthage were to make a truce with you Dionia?" ”

Davers was a little surprised when he suddenly heard this, he blinked his eyes, and said teasingly, "I can't be mistaken, right? Carthage, the overlord of the Western Mediterranean, wants to stop this huge war for the sake of these captives?! ”

El Accra finally said this sentence under the pretext of being a captive, ignoring Davers's taunts, and took advantage of the situation to continue: "You are right, king, this is indeed a war that will cost both sides a lot! I mean, if – if you and I cease fighting, will these captives be released? ”

This time, Davers didn't joke anymore, but said with a serious expression: "Since an armistice has been reached, of course the prisoners will be released." But you are the ones who broke the covenant! You are the ones who started this war! Now it's you who want to end the war! If you want to go to war, we can't control it, but if you want to end it, it's not so easy! ”

"So...... What conditions do you need to accept an armistice? El Accra also asked with a straight face.

Davers didn't answer directly, he said lightly: "Armistice negotiations are a very important matter for both you and me, of course, you and I have to negotiate and decide together, just like trade and business, it takes a long bargaining process......"

"But as the most honorable person in the Kingdom of Dionia, you must have some demands for a truce, right?" El Accra continued to ask without giving up.

"To be honest, I've been running around since the war broke out, and I haven't really thought about a truce. After you mentioned this earlier, I have a doubt now. Davers said, pausing deliberately.

"What doubts?" El Accra asked subconsciously.

"What if...... If you, the Carthaginian Senate, want to negotiate an armistice with us, will your military commander Marco agree? ”

El Accra hesitated for a moment, then immediately replied: "Of course Margo-sama will agree, because Carthage, unlike Dionia, we do not have a king, but we have a senate, and the important affairs of the city-state are decided by the senate. ”

Davers then smiled, raised his glass, and said, "War is a real headache, and it is a good thing for you and me to be able to be peaceful!" …… Welcome to today, come and have a toast! ”

El Accra thought he understood what Davers meant, and hurriedly raised his glass and drank together, and then asked no more questions.

………………………………………

After sending El Accra away, Hennipolis couldn't wait to ask: "Your Majesty, are you really ready to negotiate peace with Carthage?" ”

Davers smiled slightly: "I want to negotiate with Carthage, but I'm afraid it will be difficult for them to agree to my terms." ”

"On what terms?" Hennepolis asked directly, without hesitation.

This time, Davers did not shy away from answering: "At least Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia must belong to the kingdom, and then surrender some or all of their territories in southern Iberia......"

Henipolis listened to this, his eyes widened unconsciously, and after a while he reluctantly said, "I think it will be difficult for the Carthaginians to agree to these conditions of yours......"

Davos glanced at him and said leisurely, "I did not say these conditions to the messenger, for fear of arousing the alarm of the Carthaginians. Actually, I don't want a truce with Carthage at this time, because the favorable situation of closing the door and beating the dog has finally been formed, how can I waste this excellent opportunity to open the door again and let the dog escape again...... Unless it's time for the dog to be completely killed, maybe that's when I make those conditions. ”

Henipolis suddenly realized, but he also reminded with a little worry: "Your Majesty, in case the Phoenician region of the Eastern Mediterranean sends reinforcements over, or even if Persia really sends reinforcements......"

Davers said unconcernedly: "Persia is sending reinforcements from thousands of miles away to fight us, and it is a very risky to be separated by his enemy Egypt and the Greek native city-state that may become his enemy at any moment!" The defeat of the Athenian army in attacking Syracuse was a lesson, and Artaxerxes probably did not have such courage, and according to the information received, the Persians were still preparing to attack Egypt again, and the Dukyas had rioted in the heart of Persia...... Persia now could neither afford nor be able to send an army thousands of miles away to aid a foreign city-state with which they had little intimate relationship.

As for the Phoenicians in the east, as far as I know, their strength is much worse than Carthage, and the only thing worth mentioning is the navy, which was completely wiped out by us, so what is there to worry about. ”

Hearing this, Henipolis was relieved.

"By the way, the Sicilian fleet captured quite a few Phoenician sailors in the Eastern Mediterranean yesterday, and you have Martius go and bring a few Greek-speaking captives, and I will ask them something about Persia."

"Yes, Your Majesty." As Henipolis walked out, he muttered to himself, "Actually, the Eighth Legion had captured many Numibians in the previous Minoan War, but the Carthaginians came several times to discuss redemption, but they never mentioned them, as if they had completely forgotten them. ”

A flash of inspiration flashed through Davers's mind, and he immediately said, "Heni, where are the Numibian captives now?" ”

"Your Majesty, they work as coolies in Katanai."

Only then did Davers remember that Prosous had reported to him at that time, but he had just landed at that time, and there were many affairs, so he didn't pay much attention to it.

"Send someone back to Katanay and inform Sipros that he should send all these Numibian captives to Minoa!"

Henipolis's heart moved, and he hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty, are you going to-"

The corners of Davers' mouth curled slightly: "Since the Carthaginians don't treat the Numibians as human beings, then let's take care of these poor Numibians." ”

………………………………………

El Accra left Minoa and did not return directly to Carthage, but went to Mazara by boat, and then arrived at the Carthaginian camp outside Selinus, where he met the Carthaginian military commander Marco.

"You're not here to see me, are you?" As soon as they met, Marco asked directly, as soon as El Accra, as a Carthaginian envoy, went out on the front foot, Pretacuba sent a clipper to Sicily and informed him.

"Does Master Margo know that the city of Hadru Mentum was raided and burned by the Dionian navy?" El Accra asked rhetorically.

"Yes, I just heard that." Margo said calmly: "Dionya is a powerful country, fighting with them, it is inevitable that such a situation will occur, the Senate should not blame Morbar, I think he is much stronger than Anobas, not long after he took office, he solved the problem of food transportation for this army, and also won a naval victory, this old man is really not simple!" ”

"But he made a proposal to the Senate to make peace with Dionia, what do you think, Lord Margo?" El Accra looked directly at him and asked this important question.

Margo raised his eyebrows and said in a deep voice: "Morbar has just joined this war, and he still knows too little about the entire battle situation. He only knows that we are inferior to Dionyas in terms of navy, but we are better than the Dioonians in terms of army, and I have no doubt that Carthage will win this war in the end! ”

"Since we are stronger than the Dionians in land warfare, why doesn't Lord Margo attack the Dionians? We heard in Carthage that you were leading the army back and forth! Isn't this because of fear of Dionia's attack? El Accra asked unceremoniously.

"Afraid of the Ionians?" Margo laughed contemptuously, and then said helplessly: "Hasdruba defeated the Dionian army in the battle of Jara, and we are not afraid of the Dionian army in the field!" But the Dionian navy controlled the coast of Sicily, and we had a difficult supply of food, so in order to prevent the soldiers from falling apart because of hunger, I had to retreat to the west, hoping to defeat the main Dionian army in a battle, but the Dionian king obviously knew that he was inferior to us in land warfare, so he refused to fight, and led his army to set up a defense on the Minoa Mountain, and I certainly would not lead the troops to attack the enemy who was defending on the mountain, which would have led to heavy casualties among the soldiers......"

"Are you just fighting against the Dionians?!" El Accra couldn't help but ask.