Chapter 403: 398: What Are You Here For

"It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double, be able to divide them; if equal, engage them; if fewer, defend against them; if weaker, be able to avoid them."

-        "Art of War" Chapter III, Sun Tzu

Mauro do have a plan though, but his plans are way too frantic to be considered a normal plan and get executed. In the mind of this pirate who has roamed the seas and lands for a good two decade plus, since their supply routes are in danger and they might not be able to get their supplies in time, why don't they feed themselves using the supplies of the enemies instead?

In his plan, the Roman troops are going to launch a new offensive campaign back towards the direction where they came from, giving the Ottomans a surprise instead and march all the way along their supply route robbing and harassing their supplies instead, and go all the way to restart the siege, occupying two major Ottoman grains stock houses and the mills along the rivers in search for food. To a pirate like Mauro, robbing others off their wealth is always a faster way to gain what ever one need as compared to producing it by one self and transport it all the way here.

But of course, this tactic is way too crazy to be considered and Mauro knows it too, thus he decided that this plan shall only be the last resort if there are no other better planning by the others.

The meeting went on for hours, until the sun is already peeking its head out from the horizons of Anatolia, a time of the day when a man is in his deepest sleep and is also the best time for a sneak attack. But still the ottomans did not do any thing, instead when the morning comes, a group of riders strode from their battle lines, bearing the flags of the Sultan and a piece of white flag signifying their identities as peaceful ambassadors came paying the fortress a surprise visit.

Under the anxious and suspicious eyes of every single Roman soldier, the group of five ambassadors are allowed in to the fortress. They did not receive a warm welcome from their host, of course, but at least not to the extent of receiving rotten eggs and dead rats, as the Romans themselves are now in a state of low morale unsure what shall be the future of them. In fact, they arrived in to the inner fortress in one piece with no guards around them, pretty incredible considering the fact that assaulting or harassing envoys from a warring state is also a common practise around these times.

Due to the fact that Constantine is still in his deep sleeps after getting his head covered in bandages and medications, two men took up the responsibilities for meeting these delegates, one is non other than Mauro, and the second one is the highest ranking senator Constantine have in the army, Innocentius, with an eunuch in charge of recording down this meeting and pass it to the emperor later when he is awake. 

The five ambassadors are brought in to the meeting hall, where almost every single major commander and advisor of the emperor's army is here. Most of them have already guessed the intentions of the Ottoman ambassadors, they must be here to try to talk some pointless reasons and persuade them to surrender, a common practise which is also a signal for the final attack. Many have already prepared themselves with the lines and quotes they remember from classic dramas and plays, preparing to give the Ottoman ambassador some words of just and vigour, showing their esteem and confidence that they shall defeat the Ottomans in the very end. 

And there are of course the kind of people who are thinking of selling their pals off to the Ottomans for a lucrative sum of reward, but these people are too small in the group to be considered important, and furthermore, what the Ottomans offered next to Mauro and Innocentius soon made every single person's jaw drop, hearing the words that are almost the total opposite of what they expected the Ottomans to say.

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The head of the Ottoman ambassador first started off with a paragraph stating that there was a long term of friendship, inter marriage and corporations between the two greatest empires in the world, the Ottoman Sultanate and the Roman empire, and also stated that how the friendship could have developed to an even deeper state if the two states are to remain a mutual respect and peace. After hearing these words, the Romans in the hall have already known that some thing must be wrong here for the ambassadors to say such things. 

What the ambassador said next turned out to be even more shocking. "Honourable lords, first I would like to convey my Sultan's words to his dear uncle, the Basileus of Rumelia. My Sultan would like to offer him a gift for his missed birthday celebration last year, how sad it is for us that we could not have the chance to go to Constantinople ourselves to pass the holy emperor the gift… Please, convey the message and the gift for us." 

While the others are still feeling strange about the Sultan offering their emperor gifts in such an awkward timing, the old senator has already realised some thing as he whispered softly beside Mauro's ear. "It seems like the Ottomans have no idea that his majesty is in the army… The only man who has probably saw and recognised the emperor could have already dead." Mauro frowned, pondered over the idea for a while and turned his head too, saying that. "Let us not make any assumption my pal, it sounds way too ridiculous that after so long, with the emperor's flag still hanging on the top of the castle, the Ottomans still have no idea that the emperor is here." 

The old senator gave the Latin commander an annoyed face, and refused to continue on this topic any longer, though he is still sure that his assumptions are correct. While Mauro cleared his throat and raised his hands, doing his very best to be like Constantine welcoming a foreign delegate. "Welcome, ambassadors. Please, have a seat by me, and embrace the warmth of the newly imported Cherson grape wine. I am sure that you people do not have the luxury to enjoy this kind of drink in a harsh snowy winter like this." 

The ambassadors took their seat by the sides, with plentiful beverages and alcohol being served on each table to show the image that they still have enough supplies for this kind of concerts. The Ottomans did not seem to be in a hurry enjoying the celebration as per normal, while it is the Romans who organised the party that seemed to be nervous and fidgeting around uneasily, eyeing the ambassadors at a constant rate, discussing what is the purpose of the Ottoman's visit. And after a whole thirty plus minutes of celebration, the Ottoman delegates raised to give Mauro and the old senator a round of toast, finally putting a stop to this awkward concert. 

"Honourable general, your prestigious senator… Do you know, that in our Sultanate, we had a very famous proverb saying that 'You don't wash blood away with blood but with water'. I am pleased that you have too realised it, and decided to lay down our arms and build up our trust through wine and grapes, not blood and iron… By Allah's grace I hope that the Mighty Allah can forgive the sins we committed today by drinking alcohol!"

Mauro made a series of wild laughter and slammed his wine cup on to the short table in front of him. "I am sure he will, do not worry. Anyways, enough of the enjoying part honourable ambassador, shall you now tell me the reason why your Sultan decide to send you people? It is not to make fun of our situation being stuck and surrounded by you people right?" 

Seeing that the general has finally decided to enter the right topic, every one in this room gulped and prepared their ears. The Ottoman head ambassador rose up his cup bearing hand, gave a warm smile and exposed the purpose of his visit. "Well, your highness. My Sultan sent me over here to clear any misunderstanding or doubts between the two sides, settle any disputes to negotiate in to a peace treaty… And if even better, form a mutual beneficial treaty between us promising that there shall be no more wars in the coming decade."

Mauro, who is already on tipsy, gave an 'oh' look on his face and laughed slapping his thigh. "Are you seriously meaning that you came here to yield?" 

"Yes, your highness." The ambassador gave a serious look this time. "We are here to yield."

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