Darkness, dryness, exhaustion and despair. When Agrippa led the legions to the border of Duga, the Scout Cavalry informed them that Durga had been captured by Appis and his party. Officials at all levels in the city cooperated to assist Apis in administering the city. And, the grain ships from Sardinia were docked on the shore, and the jubilant crowd chanted the name of Appis.

Such news was undoubtedly a bolt from the blue for Agrippa. shattered his last hope completely. At this moment, the 4,000 Roman soldiers behind them needed rest, water, and food. They haven't even bathed and drunk clean water for more than a month. And I can't give them any protection. Agrippa knew that the plan had to be changed, or his soldiers would defect without Appis's intervention.

"Stop marching on Dugar and turn to the Great Lepotis."

Agrippa immediately ordered the latest order. Behind him, 4,000 Roman soldiers and 2,000 loyal Numidian infantry lined up in long snakes, numb and continued to walk on the arid continent.

Unbeknownst to them, Agrippa's emissaries had arrived in the town one step ahead of the city's orders, and were negotiating with the city's municipal officials to try to take the city peacefully in the same way. It's just that the negotiations were put on hold, because Honoraeus, the mayor of the city of Lepotis, had been favored and promoted by Octavian, and was unwilling to betray Octavian. But because of this, the nobles and officials in the city were divided into two factions, one of which advocated the surrender of Appis, leaving behind his life and property. The other faction advocated a bloody battle with Appis to the end, waiting for reinforcements from Agrippa and Octavian. The two factions argued for more than ten days, and the envoy could only wait for the final answer in the reception room. The original plan was that if the negotiations were not successful within 20 days, Crassus Jr. would lead a large army to the city and solve the problem by force. Unfortunately, on the nineteenth day, Agrippa's army entered the city......

"We can't hold the city, General, you have only four thousand heavy infantry, most of them wounded and exhausted. And Appis had three elite legions, and if they did not get an answer, they would have attacked the city in a week. For the sake of the innocent civilians in the city, we should no longer make fearless sacrifices. ”

Even when Agrippa entered the city, some of the officials and nobles of Lepotis the Great still tried to persuade Agrippa to surrender. However, Agrippa was furious and imprisoned them in a dungeon. At this point, there is no sound of right, no more surrender. The whole city was once again put on combat alert.

……

"I really don't understand where their confidence comes from?"

Little Crassus was sullen in the camp complaining about the old and weak soldiers of the Great Lepotisne, who were fighting the trapped beasts. In his eyes, the missed opportunity to occupy the city was all caused by Appis, and his iron buddy was too soft-hearted. In the first place, before Agrippa arrived, he should have attacked Lepotis and slaughtered the rebels, and nothing happened today.

"Loyalty comes from loyalty to Octavian, but in such an era, such loyalty seems a bit tragic. Octavian was at the end of his crossbow. It wasn't me, nor Anthony, who defeated him, but a natural disaster. ”

Appis replied lightly.

"I told you a long time ago that you can't be merciful to the enemy, and a month ago, if we had attacked the city directly, the city would have been ours a long time ago. But what kind of peaceful means do you have to use to solve the problem, see, this is the consequence of peaceful means. They are unwilling to surrender and are ready to resist. ”

Little Crassus was a strong man with an upright personality, outspoken, and not as sophisticated and tactful as his father. This personal trait has nothing to do with age. Because of this, many times in public he would publicly refute Appis's opinions. But Appis turned a blind eye to this. Because after all, little Crassus has a simple heart, and such a person is much safer.

"It's better to salute before the soldiers than to slaughter the city directly. I gave them time, because they themselves were unwilling to cooperate, unwilling to accept such a peace, then it would be logical for us to attack the city again and slaughter them. I can't let the people say I'm a tyrant, slaughtering and brutally suppressing all the way to gain territory. In that case, when our legions enter Italy, they will be opposed and will be in the same situation as Antony is now. ”

Appis looked at little Crassus's angry face and replied calmly.

"Tyrant? When did you become a tyrant? From Spain to Mauritania to Afriedia, when have we brutalized civilians? Even let the soldiers exercise restraint and not infringe on their property, is this still brutal? ”

Crassus Jr. retorted.

"Yes, what you say is true, and it's true. But these people in Rome did not know. And rumors can be tampered with. You have to know who our opponent is, the young man who has lived in Rome for a long time is good at agitating the people and playing politics. The plebeians are always ignorant, and along the way from Spain to Afilia, we have offended many nobles, who, after fleeing to Rome, will be Octavian's right-hand men. They will preach that we have taken cities, brutally suppressed the people, bloodied opponents, and plundered the property of innocent people. They will do it. And the people of Rome are not in Africa, they don't know what's going on here, and the long-term rhetoric will make more people believe that we really did that. At that time, the corps arrived in Italy and would lose support. Only the military will never be able to take power, my brother. ”

In the face of little Crassus's depression and incomprehension, Apis clarified his views word by word, in a clear manner.

Little Crassus quieted down a little.

"They resisted, and that gave us a reason and an excuse to plunder. And, as it is, when the news reaches Rome, no one will say that we are brutal. In the Roman law of war, those who surrendered before the battle could not be reduced to slavery or killed, but they could have the right to plunder and slaughter the enemy who resisted after a letter of surrender. It is a well-known fact that the envoy has been in the city for more than twenty days, and Agrippa's garrison gives us a reason and an excuse to attack the city, and that's it. ”

Appis continued. Little Crassus must be quieted, he is like a grumpy lion who will have the urge to explode at any moment.

"Of course, we can prepare siege weapons while continuing to send people to the city to negotiate peace with Agrippa. You know that Agrippa will not surrender, but such an act puts us on the side of justice, and if it works, it will cause a revolt among the civilians of the city and expel Agrippa from the city. ”

Appis spoke eloquently, and little Crassus was silent with a staring face.