"Your Majesty, our army is trapped in the city of Keldonia and cannot see the entire enemy force. From what I saw while secretly breaking out, I roughly estimate that the total number of the new reinforcements should be less than that of the Egyptians, but not much less. I don't know anything else!" The messenger answered truthfully.
"Okay, go and rest!"
Knowing that he couldn't ask anything new, Xia Zhe took the initiative to end the conversation.
He then ordered the army to temporarily halt its advance and rest, while sending out scouts to investigate and find out the enemy's position and troop deployment.
At first, Xia Zhe didn't care about this matter at all.
By the afternoon, scouts from various places had brought back news.
The Egyptians did receive reinforcements, and their total strength now reached about 2.5 million.
They also occupied the advantageous terrain near Keldonia in advance, and were waiting for the Cretan militia army to arrive.
So many regular troops, occupying a good position!
This information made Xia Zhe intuitively feel that something was wrong. He immediately thought of backing out.
Why were the Egyptians not afraid at all and still prepared for a decisive battle when they had clearly won a great victory?
If we continue to risk the attack, it is hard to say whether we will get into a tough battle.
Anyway, I already have what I want. Why not just go back now?
Thinking of this, Xia Zhe asked Lillian to convene a meeting of militia leaders and emphasize that there were major strategic adjustments.
After waiting there for a whole day in vain, the leaders were quite surprised and didn't understand what had happened.
Hearing King Stobi's call, everyone rushed over.
"What? Our army is just making a feint and then returning to Knossos. We won't engage in a real battle with the Egyptian army?"
"We've already wiped out over 30% of the Egyptians! Now's the perfect time to annihilate them in one fell swoop! How can we just retreat now?"
"Yes! What's more, our heroes Minos and Antigonus are still holding out in Keldonia! If we retreat now, wouldn't that disappoint them?"
…
The leaders all raised questions and disagreed with King Stobi's proposal.
Some people even began to think more about it, believing that King Stobius intended to use the Egyptians to kill Minos and Antigonus.
They feel that everyone has selfish motives.
King Stoby must have it too!
If Minos and Antigonus died, King Stobius would be able to truly gain complete control of this militia army!
Which king who dominated the world in ancient times was not cruel and ruthless?
It is clear that with just one final battle, the lost ground can be completely recovered.
King Stobi's attitude at this moment must be due to some hidden conspiracy.
Hearing the accusations from everyone, whether explicit or implicit, Xia Zhe just smiled and did not get angry.
Because he had a clear conscience and had no intention of taking over the continent of Crete.
Feeling that a decisive battle was risky, Xia Zhe could have just walked away and done nothing.
He still proposed to make a feint first to lure the Egyptians away from the city of Keldonia in order to repay Antigonus.
However, Xia Zhe was a very easygoing person. Being misunderstood over the past three years was nothing new to him.
It's your misunderstanding, so be it. If you want to continue taking the risk of attacking, it's your own choice.
Anyway, I won’t go on the adventure with you. I’ll just take my own people and go.
It would be better for you to launch a real decisive battle and attract the Egyptian army than a feint attack.
In this way, I have repaid Antigonus for his kindness in bringing the news.
After that, it’s beyond my control.
With this thought in mind, Xia Zhe waved to everyone and said goodbye in a very casual manner. Then, he walked out of the tent and ordered his 10,000 men to follow him and return to Knossos.
King Stobius's calm departure made the doubts about his intention to control the Cretan militia army and make achievements for himself seem ridiculous.
Many leaders showed embarrassed expressions on their faces, feeling that they seemed to have gone too far.
"Remember, my king is very perceptive and will never be wrong! If he says we can't fight a decisive battle, then we must not fight a decisive battle! Otherwise, disaster will surely befall us! If you force him away, you will regret it in the future!"
Seeing that Wang had already left, Lillian, feeling indignant, uttered a few harsh words and then chased after him.
Is there going to be a disaster?
Hearing Lillian's affirmation, it was as if a prophet had made a prediction. The leaders, who had just felt a little guilty, also became angry.
Lillian is just a maid!
She is so arrogant, it must be King Stoby's behind the scenes!
Our army has a total of seven million people, and we just easily wiped out the 500,000-strong detachment of the Egyptian Legion!
Why do you, King Stobi, dare to assert that our army will be defeated?
We're going to win to show you!
When we bring back our own hero Minos, he will rebuild Crete.
By then, King Stobi will no longer dare to despise the Cretans' abilities!
Thinking of this, the leaders began to work together sincerely.
After a detailed discussion, they decided on a comprehensive attack plan to wipe out 2.5 million Egyptians in one fell swoop.
Then, they broke camp and continued to advance, charging towards the joint army of the three countries that had been waiting for it!
Of course, Xia Zhe could no longer see all this.
After parting ways with the Cretan militia, Xia Zhe quickly set out on his return journey with 10,000 Stobi troops.
His purpose is very clear.
I have done what I promised the Cretans.
Antigonus hoped that a large-scale military attack would create an opportunity for him to break out, and the Cretan militia leaders must have done so.
In this case, the burden on me is completely lifted. I can now return home safely with the heart of a king!
As for which force ultimately gains the upper hand on the continent of Crete, what does it have to do with me?
If you like to fight, just fight slowly!
However, Xia Zhe's subordinates did not see it that way.
On the surface, even with the reinforcements, the Egyptian army only had 2.5 million people.
The morale of their seven million strong army had been boosted. It seemed easy to wipe out an enemy force that was less than half their number in one fell swoop.
The same ideas as those Cretan militiamen were also shared by many in the Stobi army.
However, as Stobi people, everyone naturally believed in the king's judgment, even if it seemed illogical.
Since the king said that this battle cannot be won, then it definitely cannot be won!
Of course, those militia leaders should listen to the king's advice and quickly return with the king!
But they actually questioned it!
They were even worried that the king would take control of Crete and enslave them!
It's absolutely ridiculous!
Wouldn't it be better for Crete, a place that doesn't want to make progress, to be enslaved by the king and allowed to develop properly?
Otherwise, if we encounter an invasion by foreign civilization next time and have no resistance at all, won’t our country be destroyed and our race be extinct?
Compared to everyone dying, is it really that unacceptable to put in some effort?
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