NOVEL WEB Chapter 221 Peace Negotiations
He looked around at the other three and said, "I have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"The bad news first." Drax said first.
"This morning, the grain transport team returning to Thurii was attacked by 300 sailors from Crotone not far from the swamp. The free people guarding the baggage were caught off guard, resulting in 50 casualties and a lot of loss of pack animals. Before our soldiers arrived, the enemy had fled back to the ship anchored on the coast..." Davos read aloud.
"300 people?! The number of Crotone people participating in the attack has increased, and they are getting bolder and bolder! I remember that we have a garrison near the swamp!" Capps said in surprise.
"Perhaps that's why the guards lost their vigilance." Davos said with a serious expression: "We must learn from this lesson to ensure that we won't make the same mistake again in the future!"
Capps and Drax clenched their fists and nodded vigorously.
"It's a shame we don't have a fleet. Otherwise, how could the Crotones easily attack our villages and kill our people on our territory?" Drax exclaimed angrily.
Everyone was frustrated. The Dionysian Alliance was, after all, a new one, less than a year old. A navy, unlike an army, could be deployed to the battlefield in a matter of months, provided it had men, weapons, and rigorous training. Even with speed, building a navy, especially a trireme, would take at least three months to launch.
It would also require nearly two hundred sailors, experienced helmsmen, and so on. After training, adjustments, and mastery of the craft, it would take at least several more months to fully operationalize the warships. Therefore, a navy was an expensive military force, consuming time, money, and manpower.
Smaller city-states simply couldn't afford it. With the Dionysian Alliance's current strength, money and manpower weren't major issues; time was the most pressing issue. After this war with Crotone, Davos had already made "building a navy" a top priority for the alliance's future development.
"Lord Davos, what's the good news?" Avinogenis asked.
Davos smiled faintly. "Locri has sent troops to attack Columnia! Just as you said, under such circumstances, Crotone might consider negotiating with us again. If it still doesn't move—" Davos' voice suddenly became as cold as the wind: "I will order Hieronymus to send troops across the Tachinadi River to destroy the farmland, villages, canals... and all facilities outside Crotone, forcing the Crotone people to come to negotiate!"
.........
The next morning, Lysias and Thesprotes entered the Dionysian central military tent.
Davos looked at the two of them and said with a smile: "Lord Lysias, I said we would meet again, but I didn't expect it to come true so soon."
Lysias ignored Davos's teasing and said seriously: "Lord Davos, the negotiation conditions you proposed last time, the Crotone Council, after discussion, agreed to give up Crimea and hand it over to Dionysia for disposal, and was willing to pay a certain amount of money to promote peace! As for the dissolution of the Crotone Alliance-"
Lysias paused, considering how to use language to better persuade Davos, but Thesprotis continued: "The council agreed to dissolve the alliance in principle, but now Locri is attacking Coronnia, based on Coronnia Crotone and Asia have a deep bond spanning centuries. Crotone must provide aid to Kaurenia. As leader of the alliance, Crotone will be well-positioned to rally its citizens, form an army, reinforce Kaurenia, and repel Locri... After we defeat them, we'll... disband... Thesprotis suddenly choked up, unable to continue.
Crotone's century-long hegemony in Magna Graecia was built by the Crotonese forefathers through painstaking efforts, tireless effort, and bloody battles. Now it was about to be undone... How could he not be overcome with emotion and lose control?
Lysias, who had initially rebuked Thesprotis for foolishly revealing all his cards right out of the gate, was now filled with sadness.
"Crotone doesn't need to disband the alliance!" Davos's first words surprised the two.
Seeing their startled expressions, Davos continued, "Even Dionysia can immediately release the tens of thousands of captured Crotone citizens!"
Lysias and Hisprotis looked at each other, unable to believe their ears. "
But I have a condition," Davos said slowly. "The Dionysians haven't made a habit of returning what they've taken."
Lysias reacted quickly: "You mean... Asprustum?"
Davos smiled. "It's more than that."
He walked over to the map and pointed at a spot. "Our Dionysian army has already set up camp here!"
Lysias took a look and gasped. "You also want the land north of the Neto River?!"
"It's not that I want it, but it's a condition that must be met if I want Dionysian to negotiate peace!" Davos said sternly. "Crotone is aggressive by nature. It launched two wars against Thurii and the Dionysian Alliance, burning Thurii, plundering its wealth, and wantonly slaughtering the Dionysian people. Driven by the goddess of vengeance, we bravely counterattacked. Hades's blessing allowed us to smoothly achieve victory after victory.
The Dionysian people are full of confidence. They wish Crotone would suffer the same pain of being burned! Without rich spoils of war, our people will never agree to negotiate with you! Many people have suggested sending these more than 10,000 captives to mine, just like Syracuse did to the Athenian captives! "
Davos's stern tone made Thesprotis's hair stand on end. He certainly knew what happened to the captured Athenian expeditionary soldiers. He said in a trembling voice: "Asprustum plus the land on the north bank of the Neto River, which accounts for almost one-third of Crotone's territory. If it is all given to Dionysian, what will happen to the many Crotone people who originally lived on these lands? ! The council will never agree! "
These two wars have cost Crotone and Asprustum no fewer than twenty thousand lives, and much of the land has been left barren. Relocating the people to Crotone, replenishing the manpower, and redistributing the land lacking labor, I believe this is a perfect way to rebuild Crotone. It would also allow us to achieve peace with Dionysia, and allow the returning Crotone citizens to form a large army to aid Coronnia and repel Locri. It's a win-win situation!" Davos said gravely.
His words seemed to hold a certain allure, tempting Thesprotis to nod. He glanced subconsciously at Lysias, who shook his head slightly. Thesprotis opened his mouth, but remained silent, then fell silent.
"Of course, you can go back and discuss this matter slowly. I'm not in any hurry. Perhaps, in a few days, it won't be you standing before me, but Locri. As long as they can cooperate with Dionysia, I don't think Locri will care how much of Crotone's land they give up." "Davos spoke slowly, with an indifferent expression.
Lysias and Thesprotis felt a chill all over their bodies. Thesprotis said hurriedly: "Respected Lord Davos, all the land on the north bank of the Neto River will be given to Dionia. This is indeed... This is indeed difficult for the council to agree to, but some of the land... I think it can be allocated to you... The specific amount, we can discuss it later. As for Asprustum-"
Upon hearing this, Davos interrupted him bluntly: "Asprostum must be controlled by Dionysia. This is non-negotiable! To prevent Crotone from breaking its promise again, tearing up the agreement, and launching a war!"
Thesprotis stood awkwardly, unsure of what to say.
Lysias sighed inwardly, speechless at Thesprotis's easy compromise and incompetence. But this was the council's decision! Lysias understood: by this point in the war, Crotone was completely at a disadvantage. Even if he was confident that the Dionysian army could not break through the fortified Crotone, or even force Dionysia to retreat, what good would that do?
With farmland, villages, and urban infrastructure destroyed, and a shortage of young and middle-aged citizens, Crotone would face a long and arduous journey to regain its former prosperity. However, the dire situation did not allow Crotone the luxury of time, and the frightened people lacked the resolve to fight to the end. Therefore, compromising and making concessions in exchange for peace, minimizing losses, and preparing for future revival became the Council's best option.
Having figured this out, Lysias no longer hesitated: "Asprustum is Crotone's northern barrier. If it falls into enemy hands, it will only make the people of Crotone even more uneasy. I believe that even if the Council agrees, the Citizens' Assembly will oppose it!"
"So, you've rejected Dionysia's peace terms," Davos said stiffly.
Hisprotis anxiously tugged at Lysias's clothes, but Lysias calmly replied: "The people of Crotone oppose the enemy's possession of Asprustum, but they won't necessarily object to its occupation by our allies."
"Allies?!" Davos, who had been calm and composed, steadily controlling the pace of the negotiations, seemed a little surprised.
"That's right!" Lysias raised his head and said loudly, "As long as Dionia and Crotone form an alliance, then it won't be a big deal for Asprustum and part of the land on the north bank of the Neto River to be handed over to Dionia."