Chapter 1113
When Oakley heard this, he was first shocked, then angry. He could not help but yell, "Why are you doing this?! Even if there is a grudge between the Magonid Clan and Lord Hanno, you are a Carthage. You still have the blood of the Queen of Dido that Carthage established. How can you do something that threatens the survival of all Carthage?! … "
"Did you come here just to teach me a lesson?" Although Hakkar's voice was soft, it was like a cold breeze that sent chills down Oakley's spine. It immediately drove away the dissatisfaction in his heart, and he quickly regained his composure. "I … Lord Hakkar, even if you are now working for Diónia, you are still a Carthage man. I hope you can stop 'letting the Eastern Numibians keep invading Carthage's territory' and give your compatriots a chance to live!"
Oakley lowered his stance and spoke in a very sincere tone.
"I'm doing this to give my compatriots a chance to live." Hakkar put away his lazy expression and said with a serious face, "If Carthage continues to fight against Diónia in the dark, it will not do Carthage any good! In a few years, you will find that Carthage is completely isolated in the entire Western Mediterranean. Even the Phoenician allies, who were once closest to you, will leave you one by one … "
"Ever since we signed the peace treaty with Diónia, our Carthage has been adapting to the new order in the past few years. We have been busy restoring our trade. We have never had the thought of secretly fighting against Diónia, nor have we taken any hostile actions. I don't know why Lord Hakkar would say that! On the contrary, Diónia incited the Eastern Numibians to invade Carthage. That is a violation of the agreement. Is Diónia going to tear up the good image of 'keeping its promises' that it has always flaunted and declare war on Carthage again?! "Oakley said with a look of indignation.
Hakkar looked at him coldly and spat out a word softly, "Masili tribe."
The voice immediately pierced through Okridon's fake anger. He wanted to defend himself again, but Hakkar continued, "Do you need me to recite the entire contents of the secret negotiation between Carthage and the Masili tribe?"
Okridon was immediately discouraged, and he was even more alarmed at the fact that Carthage was under such terrifying surveillance by Diónia.
"Judging from the conspiracy between the Carthage and the Masili tribe, it can be seen that the Carthage Senate still has some illusions. But I believe that you, who have witnessed the prosperity of the great city of Turií, will know that even if the Masili tribe gets your help and really unifies the tribes of Western Numibia, it will only be a small problem for the powerful Kingdom of Diónia. We can easily dispatch two or three legions to completely pacify them. But for the Carthage, this will be a disaster related to the survival of the city-state. So the Kingdom has let the Eastern Numibians attack Carthage to make you realize how weak Carthage is now! "
Hakkar gestured to the servant to pour him a little wine, and then slowly swirled the wine glass in one hand. His expression became serious. "I'm a Carthage, and I know my compatriots very well. Most of them prefer to do business rather than wage war, prefer to enjoy life rather than suffer on the battlefield, and are more afraid of death … So even when Carthage was at its most prosperous, it could never defeat the Greeks of Sicily. It's because the Carthage people are not a people who like to fight. They lack courage and tenacity. In the past, you could still get the Numibians and mercenaries to fight for you, but now that you have no one to rely on, I think the elders of Carthage should extinguish any remaining ambition in their hearts and let the people do what they want to do!
For example, in the past, the people of Carthage did not like to bathe very much. Ever since the people of Diónia invented baths, the people of Carthage began to like bathing. Another example is that in the past, the people of Carthage did not like to go inland to do business because the transportation was very inconvenient. But since the people of Diónia built wide and flat roads, the merchants of Carthage frequently went deep into the mountains of Bruti, Lucania, and other places to gain trade profits … Also, like the water pipes that I just mentioned to you, as long as it is put into use in the ordinary urban areas of the Kingdom, I can guarantee that it will not take long for the people of Carthage to figure out how to make it so that they can enjoy clean water without going out … There are many examples like this.
You see, although the people of Carthage say that they hate Diónia on the surface, in fact, they are always paying attention to the new things created by Diónia and enjoy the huge trade system created by Diónia … So why not let the people of Carthage completely integrate into this system? In this way, the safety of Carthage will be completely guaranteed, and the people will enjoy everything that Diónia has built with peace of mind. I believe that with the ability of the people of Carthage, in a few years, they will become richer than before! "
Okridon was silent.
Hakkar did not say anything else, but used his hand to gently stroke the warm pool water.
After a while, Okridon asked in a low voice, "You mean to … let Carthage and Diónia form a true alliance?"
"With the current strength of Carthage, it is impossible to establish an alliance equal to the status of Diónia. It can only become an ally of Diónia," Hakkar said bluntly. "Of course, I suggest that it is best for Carthage to become a free city of the Kingdom of Diónia, just like Tarantum. You should know how comfortable the people of Tarantum are now …"
Okridon's face turned a little ugly, but he suppressed his anger and did not let it rise again. Hakkar said leisurely, "I know that you can't make the decision on this matter. In the end, it is still up to the Senate to make the decision, but I hope that you can make the decision as soon as possible, because the evidence of your collusion with the Marsili tribe is conclusive. Once the Marsili people stir up trouble in Western Numibia, the messengers of Diónia will go to Carthage and question you for breaking the peace agreement.
At the same time, the three legions of Sicily will quickly assemble, ready to land in Afrika at any time. By then, the situation of Carthage will not be as relaxed as it is now. "
Okridon's face changed drastically, and he hurriedly said, "Master Hakkar, we do have some verbal agreements with the Marsili tribe, but that is only for the Eastern Numibians —"
Hakkar rudely interrupted him, "Let's end the discussion on this matter here. You go back and think about what choice Carthage should make, and let those stupid senators think about it. Now let's talk about another matter, which is also another matter that you came to Turií to discuss with His Majesty.
Don't you find it strange? A few years ago, the precious metals transported from Iberia by Diónia ships were sold to all the merchants in Carthage, but since last year, they only sold to merchants belonging to the neutral faction … "
Okridon looked at the strange smile on the young man's face, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat. He said in surprise, "Could it be you —"
"Yes, this is also my suggestion to His Majesty." Hakkar said casually, and turned to look at his servant, "The water temperature is a little low, let them heat it up a little more."
"Master, but your body —"
"I feel good today, it's okay if the water temperature is a little higher."
The servant looked at Okridon, who was a little worried, but he did not dare to disobey Hakkar's orders, so he quickly ran to the wooden door and gave orders to the slaves waiting outside.
Of course, Okridon could not suddenly attack, but his eyes were full of caution and caution as he looked at Hakkar, as if he was facing a formidable enemy. This sickly looking young man was so terrifying, and every measure he took against Carthage was a heavy blow to Carthage's weak spot.
Hakkar slowly took a sip of wine, and then looked at the bright red wine left in the wooden cup. His eyes became solemn and distant, and he murmured, "When I was five years old, I learned from others why I was different from other children. It was because I might die in a few years.
When I was nine, my father returned from Sicily in defeat. He was depressed all day, and often because he heard people ridiculing him, he locked himself in his room. In the end, he killed himself …
When I was 13, I followed my brother to Iberia, a strange and barbaric place. Uncle Mago told me, 'This is to obtain a bright future for the Magonid family.' But I actually understood that it was because my uncle lost in the power struggle in Carthage, and had to find a way out for himself.
When I was 27, the people of Carthage, because the army in Sicily was completely wiped out, were instigated by some people to attack the elders of the Magonid faction. They could not survive in the city, and could only flee to Iberia with their families. But Dido and I decided to find a way out for ourselves …
After experiencing so many things, I understood the principle that if you did something wrong, you would be punished by the Gods, and you would have to pay a heavy price for it. The Magonid Family's current situation was the result of constantly paying back the debt! But … "
Hakkar's gaze was like a knife piercing into Okridon, and his voice was cold. "What role did the Hanoverian faction play in that war?! The generals you strongly recommended, Montenegro, Annobus, and the others, were all incompetent people. Their repeated failures not only consumed a large amount of Carthage's war resources, but also frequently attacked the confidence of the people of Carthage! When my uncle and brother were fighting with all their might in Sicily, not only did you not provide them with full support, but you used all kinds of means to reduce their support and slander their achievements! … If I didn't know that you were born and raised in Carthage, I'm afraid I would have suspected that you were planted by Diónia! "
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