Chapter 339: 334: Ture

"Is this true?" 

"Yes, it is true."

"Is it really happening?" 

"Yes, highly likely." 

"It is not a rumor or prank on us, right?" 

"We still need some more confirmation, admiral." 

"Of course, you need." Nodded Antonius as he continues staring at the paper lying before him. "You cannot trust the words of those merchants from Venice." 

"How about the ones from Genoa?" Asked Anjelo. "I bet that those people must too have some channels of communication with the agents inside Edirne…"

"I know my country men, dear Anjelo." Antonius shook his head again. "They too cannot be trusted unless we are sure that we can pay a sum even higher than the sum that the Ottomans have offered them." 

"The emperor of Constantinople…"

"He might give us the true intel." Antonius answered. "But he will blend in some other things in the information he gives to us which will make our final decision benefit them instead."

"Well, there is always no problem in trying, admiral." Anjelo pointed out. "We knows that the Venetians are deceive, the Genoese are caring only for interests, and the Greeks are full of intrigues… But there is no problem in asking all three of them, and compile these three information sources in to one of our own." 

"You are right." Antonius agreed. "You are right…" 

But it seems like there are some others who are even more urgent than them in this matter. 

In just two days later an ambassador, calling himself Issac Phrangopoulos, and claiming that he knows the admiral in person arrived from Constantinople with a mission from the emperor to 'boost the friendly relationship between regional powers and the Imperial Autocrat of All Romans'. He arrived with gifts of course, a piece of paper that promotes the admiral to the 'Caesar of Imperial Romanum', which Antonius could not really give a damn about. 

Nevertheless, the guest is still treated with honour as Antonius prepared a tiny banquet for his arrival consisting of only six participants, but all people who have a high influence in the policy making and strategic decisions of the Thessaloniki Regional government. All of them is anticipating that this old friend has some thing to reveal to them, and indeed the ambassador did not let them down. 

"Admiral." The ambassador decided to take a straight forward stance while peeling his grape. "I believe that you have heard about some fortunate news that the recent political development in the North is going towards the down side… Am I right?" 

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Antonius widened his mouth as he pretended to be surprised by the ambassador's words. "Oh? Really? Sorry for the misinformation, but we have not received any intel from the North, only that they seemed to have imposed a stricter regulation on passing by commuters recently… Why? Any thing interesting that happened over there you would like to share?" 

"Ah come on! Caesar Antonius!" The ambassador almost made a laugh after Antonius made that statement. "Please, it is not the correct time for you to act ignorant. I am sure you have received some reports at least about the recent pollical situation in the court of Edirne right? The emperor knows that you have a professional espionage team operating not only in Edirne, but also in Constantinople! Do you think I believe your words?" 

"You must got us wrong, dear Issac." Abdullah shrugged his shoulders and retorted. "We are a team of gentle men, knights, true nobles, and we will not adopt ourselves to a state where we need to rely on spies to counter the difficulties laying on your road towards tomorrow. We never play things dirty, we play it on the bright side, and finish our task with glory, and prestige…" 

"Indeed, indeed." The other five people nodded in agreement all acting as if they know nothing. Seeing this the ambassador Issac almost vomited blood but still he managed to keep that demeanour and etiquette of a Roman noble and ambassador showing a smirk on his face pretending that he is perfectly fine. "Alright, gents, knights, true nobles… I have some thing to tell you. That monster in the den of Edirne called Candarli Halil, is now officially dead." 

"Ambassador you must be joking with us." Antonius made a wide grin patting Issac on the back. "I have reports here saying that he just appeared on the front line confronting with my men a month ago riding on horse back, and then now you are here claiming that he is dead? Do you think that this thing is possible?" 

"I know this sounds ridiculous, Caesar Antonius, but that is what our information from several sources say, yes, that Candarli Halil is now dead." 

"Okay okay, okay." Antonius laughed until his tears came out. "Let us say that yes, Candarli Halil is really dead… What does the emperor wants from me? I bet that he is not that kind hearted to simply share this piece of good news with me to give me a good laugh and a happy day, am I right?" 

The ambassador Issac ignored the disrespectful words of Antonius taking out a scroll from his inner clothing spreading it on the table and showed the content to the group of team. "The emperor requests you to aid as reinforcements to his plans, which he shall advance towards the Ottoman territories from Constantinople, and your forces shall advance north, which the two forces shall meet under the city of Edirne and form a coalition to lay siege to Edirne." 

Antonius pretended to be pondering for a while holding his chins, but after a while under the anticipating look of Issac he shook his head and sighed. "You know, ambassador, I have some own issues in my family to take care of recently… How about this, can you wait in the guest quarters first, and I shall inform you our decisions as soon as possible?" 

The ambassador is feeling that the admiral is trying to make a fool as him as he gave a stern face and asked. "What kind of 'family issues' can be more urgent than this? Your highness, I urge you to think about this again… The emperor shall be deeply disappointed if you showed a different attitude than him, as he would be not be missing this precious opportunity and advance towards Ottoman territories with Master Giovani and his troops in no time. I shall be waiting for the good news, please, do not let the autocrat down." 

After this the ambassador Issac did not bother continue waiting over here and left the banquet room, with out even laying his hand on the feast, leaving Antonius and his men along over here. However not more than a minute after the ambassador left the room, Antonius immediately removed his lackadaisical attitude and started enquiring on this matter. "So, the emperor has showed his attitude, what shall we do now? Do we continue waiting for the response of the Genoese… Or do we carry out our next step of the plan?" 

"Admiral, I am afraid that we might accelerate the speed of getting our things done." Alexios became the person to respond first. "We have no idea of who is now the current acting ruler inside Edirne, but we can make an assumption that he has not yet managed to fill up the political vacuum left following the death of Candarli Halil. Thus, what he needs now is stability and prestige which will make him solidify his control…"

"I agree with Master Alexios." Nodded Anjelo. "Even kids in schools knows that the most efficient way of assuming dominance and control is to win a fight against others and show that he is the strongest in the group. If in this case that emperor decides to take the risk and advance towards Ottoman it would just force the Ottoman government which is tearing itself apart to unite together under one banner again… Admiral, you know the combat capabilities of those soldiers under Constantine, do you think that they are worthy for a fight against those Ottoman foes?" 

"No, not a chance." Antonius replied with out any hesitation. "None of them can in an offensive war except for the mercenaries of my brother Giovanni." 

"Which means that the current actual ruler would be seen as a hero and protector since he is able to deter the invasion attempt by the emperor of Constantinople." Sighed Abdullah. "And if he does this might just give him the buff he needed to hold on to his power even tighter eliminating people's distrust and suspicion towards him, and by then things would become a lot harder for us next time… We still have no idea about his capabilities. Is he a more capable ruler than Candarli Halil? Or is he not? We have no idea, and perhaps we can use this chance to test his waters." 

Abdullah continued to murmur. "…But if we want to win the war we have to do it fast, if the enemies managed to stand there ground for two month until late winter we shall have no more chance than to retreat for the planting season in spring…"

"I have made up my mind!" Antonius suddenly stood up from his seat. "Get prepared lads! We shall take the initiative! Inform that ambassador about our decision tomorrow!"

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