"Brothers, I brought you something to eat. Pen Fun Pavilion www.biquge.info "Shilos burrowed into the low tent.

The quiet military tent suddenly became lively. The few people who were lying down turned over and got up, and the hungry wolf quickly snatched the food from Shilos's arms.

"Shiros, if you don't come again, I'm going to starve to death." Matonis munched on half-cooked horse meat, a meat that was usually frowned upon, but now it was indescribably delicious in his mouth.

"I brought it from Antonios. Menon had them assemble a special team to risk being attacked by the Persians and dragging dead and wounded horses from the battlefield. Shilos sighed, looked at the man who was still lying in the innermost part of the tent, and asked with concern, "How is Davers?" Woke up? ”

"Wake up. But he was in a daze, and whoever talked to him didn't seem to know him, and he didn't say a word. It seems to be asleep now. Geogris replied gloomily.

"I think he may have accidentally fallen into the Lethe River while sitting on the boat in Caron, and now he has amnesia." O'Rivers said.

"Shut up!" Martonis reached for Oliver's head, but he pushed him away.

Shilos forcefully separated the two men and scolded: "We are all from the same town in Thessaly, in a land thousands of miles away from home, surrounded by enemies, if we are not united, I am afraid we will not be able to go back." ”

There was a sudden silence in the tent.

Shilos felt the heaviness of the atmosphere, and he said comfortingly: "I have seen a few fighters who have been hit hard in the head, and they were also confused at first, and they will be normal after resting for a while. Maybe by tomorrow morning, Davers will be able to greet everyone with a smile. ”

"Davers is also a veteran, and he will actually fall during the pursuit!" Oliver had just said a few words irritably, and when he saw Mattonis's eyes glaring again, he immediately shut his mouth.

"Shiros, has Cyrus the Younger been defeated or defeated?" The moment of silence made Giogris couldn't help but talk about the problem that everyone was most concerned about but most afraid to face.

Earlier, when they returned to the battlefield after chasing the fleeing enemy, they found only that the Persian army was still there, and that the troops of Cyrus the Younger were gone. Because it was getting late, the two armies had no desire to continue fighting, and after a confrontation, the Persian army retreated.

It was only then that the Greek mercenaries discovered that their camp had been ransacked. The soldiers were tired and hungry, and certainly did not have the energy to think about and ask this very important question.

"Cyrus the Younger, with his cavalry, can easily leave the battlefield and join us tomorrow, whether they are victorious or defeated. One more battle with the king of Persia will be enough. Shilos said lightly.

"But the Persian king's army is already much larger than ours, and if Cyrus the Younger is defeated, there will be even fewer troops joining us tomorrow." Giogris said worriedly.

"What are you afraid of! We have more than 10,000 heavy infantry! Persians are as timid as rabbits! No matter how many people there are, they don't dare to fight us! I haven't killed it today, so I'll fight it again tomorrow, just right! As soon as Matonis heard this, he cheered everyone on in his way.

"Even if Cyrus the Younger were defeated, we would have routed their left flank and wounded many of them. Tomorrow, there will only be fewer of their soldiers than there are today! "Shilos is also full of confidence.

"These damned Persians have wreaked havoc on our camp, stolen our food, and stolen a lot of my silver! Tomorrow we will defeat them and take our stuff back! Mattonis said angrily.

"That's right!" Everyone is angry: "Not only will we take back our things, but they will also take theirs." ”

"Oh!" Oliver remembered something, and said excitedly: "I heard that the women of Cyrus the Younger have also been robbed, and only one of them has escaped. It's the same one I told you about last time...... The woman of Miletus, who was as beautiful as Aphrodite, had heard that she had been led into his tent by Clearcus, and he would be happy tonight! ......" Oliver swallowed and said lewdly.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Shilos warned him.

"Olivers, you have to have the ability to defeat the king of Persia tomorrow, and also go and snatch one of his women."

"Oh, that's a great idea! Matonis, you're not smart for once. ”

"Damn Oliver, you want to be beaten again!"

While a few people were laughing, a hoarse voice came from the innermost part of the tent: "Didn't you think that Cyrus the Younger was not only defeated?" And was killed! ”

………………………

Tisaponis rushed to the great tent of the king of Persia, and the eunuch Massabadi was already waiting at the door: "The king is waiting for you, go in quickly!" ”

When Tisaponis unleashed his sword to the royal guard next to him, he found that the most trusted eunuch of the Persian king looked a little melancholy, and he couldn't help but think in his heart: Could it be that Your Majesty is seriously injured?

The large tent was filled with the aroma of rich frankincense, mixed with a hint of herbs.

Artaxerxes lay on his side on a couch, draped in a magnificent crimson robe, his bare chest wrapped in white cloth, and red blood oozing from his bare chest could be faintly seen. A beautiful maid was gently rubbing his shoulder, and under him stood the medical officer Ctesia.

Seeing Tisaphonis enter, Cleticia immediately retired to the king of Persia.

Artaxerxes told him to wait outside the tent door, so that he could be summoned at once if his injuries changed.

Tisafnis watched the Greek doctor withdraw from the tent, and only then did he half-kneel, bow his head, and say, "My lord, my minister has lost the battle, and I have come to ask the king to punish him!" ”

Artaxerxes did not speak, and Tisaphanis began to feel a little uneasy, and remained motionless on his knees.

It was a long time before Artaxerxes spoke: "You have lost the battle, Tisaponis. But at least they dared to attack. I heard that you led your cavalry around the Greek heavy infantry lines to attack their rear, only to be defeated by their light shields and nearly hit by the Greek javelins. ”

"Yes, King. You know it all! Tisa Finnis secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're so brave than those who run away before you fight! Get up! Artaxerxes was still a little dissatisfied with the performance of the left wing of the Persian army yesterday, and then he raised his voice: "I'm not as lucky as you. Cyrus's spear stabbed me, but fortunately my armor was strong enough. so that I can take advantage of the opportunity to stab him under the horse! ”

Wasn't Cyrus the Younger struck by the spear of the guard Miserydadi? Tisafnis was surprised, but did not show it, but said excitedly with admiration: "Great king, everyone used to say that Cyrus was brave. Yesterday on the battlefield, when we were about to suffer defeat, Your Majesty, at great risk that a king should not take, stepped forward and personally slew Cyrus, the rebel! Let's get an incredible victory! You are worthy of the king of kings, my lord! You are born to be brave! ”

Massabady and Crotesia also immediately expressed their admiration for the heroic performance of the Persian king.

Artaxerxes' face flushed, and he said indignantly: "Cyrus has been competitive since childhood. As an older brother, I've always let him. Last time at the enthronement ceremony, he tried to assassinate me, and for my mother's sake, I forgave him! I didn't expect my kindness to be considered weak and bullied, and I dared to start a rebellion!! For the sake of the stability of the country, even if he is my own brother, I have to execute him! ”

"The king's mercy is known to all! Cyrus didn't know what to do, he deserved to seduce outsiders and invade the country! ......," Tisa Finnis said impassionedly.

Artaxerxes nodded, and couldn't help coughing a few times, what he said just now consumed a lot of his energy: "My governor, you have exposed Cyrus's conspiracy to me many times, and you have always done a great job in governing Asia Minor!" When this counterinsurgency is over, I will reward you well! ”

"Your Majesty, as the governor of Asia Minor, this is my duty!" Tisa Finnis said with a solemn expression.

Tisaponis bowed his head and pointed to a large clay pot placed on the wooden table in front of the couch with his left hand, and his face showed a complicated expression: "Here is the head and hands of Cyrus cut off by Massabady, you take it to the camp of the Greeks and make them surrender immediately!" ”

Note: Two parties to the Battle of Kunasak left accounts, one was Xenophon. The other was the Persian imperial physician Cleticia, whose account was cited by Plutarch during the Roman Empire in his biography of Artaxerxes, in which the Greek heavy infantry defeated the Persian right wing with far more ease than Xenophon had written. I chose Xenophon's account for the novel, which, although exaggerated, illustrates some of the strange manifestations of the Persians after the war.