Chapter 1253
"Clotho." The Devers called his son's nickname and said with relief, "I'm happy that you're so filial! But … I'm the same as Amyntas and the others. I've been hoping for this for decades. Do you want me to go to Elysee with regret? "
Cloto Catax was stunned and did not know how to answer.
The Devers smiled and said, "Don't worry. I led the mercenaries to fight in Persia for more than a year and never fell sick. I've completely adapted to the climate and food there. Although I'm old now, I've never stopped exercising and rarely get sick. My body is still in good shape, isn't it? "
"Yes, Your Majesty. According to the comprehensive analysis of your previous physical examinations, the functions of your organs are almost the same as a healthy middle-aged man. "Medical Minister Stesicodas said truthfully.
"Clotho, did you hear that?! Maybe my body is even better than yours! " The Devers laughed and said in a determined tone, "Everyone, I'm already 60 years old. I've been in the army all my life and won countless victories. This will be my last battle! Let me eliminate this last strong enemy for the holy kingdom of Diónia that we've built together! "
Cloto Catax wanted to say something but stopped. In the end, he sighed helplessly.
The ministers looked at each other and no one objected.
At this time, Sedorum stood up and asked, "Your Majesty, you're going to lead the army on an expedition. How will the kingdom's affairs be arranged?"
The Devers was prepared. He said slowly, "Consul Cloto Catax will take charge of the affairs of the kingdom. You and the other ministers will do your best to help. In fact, this is how the kingdom's administrative office has been running for the past few years. I believe that after my expedition, you can do better! "
No one objected to the Devers's arrangement. Some even thought that five years ago, when His Majesty Devers appointed his son Cloto Catax as consul and began to handle the affairs of the kingdom, he might have already had the intention to go to Persia.
"Everyone, today's meeting has decided on the expedition to Persia. After this, we will have in-depth discussions on this and make some secret preparations." Devers looked around at the crowd and said solemnly, "But, in order to ensure that the sports meet goes smoothly, we won't announce it to the public for now. I hope that everyone will abide by the kingdom's laws and not leak this out!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
After the administrative meeting ended, the Devers returned to their office. Just as they sat down, Heniboris came in and reported, "Your Majesty, Aristiras requests to see you."
"Let him in."
Arisdras walked over slowly and bowed respectfully.
"Aris, if you are here to ask me about the resignation you submitted last time —" The Devers looked at him and said softly, "I will not agree to it for the time being … You have heard in the meeting just now that I will personally conquer Persia, so the stability of the kingdom still needs your help, and you still need to work hard for a while. What do you think?"
"Your Majesty, I agree," Aristiras answered straightforwardly. "But I have one more thing to report to you."
"Very well, speak."
"Prince Fili of the Kingdom of Macedonia, whom you have asked the intelligence department to focus on, has been discovered by the intelligence officers in Thessaly to blend in with the Macedonian emissaries and is on his way to Turií."
"Blend in with the Macedonian emissaries?" The Devers's heart skipped a beat. "You mean that he is not participating in the sports meet as a Macedonian prince? Even his mother and brother do not know that he has left Macedonia? "
"They should know by now," Aristiras explained. Aristiras explained, "Then I received a secret report from Thessaly. Not long after the Macedonian emissary delegation left by ship, the Macedonian royal guards were searching for him in the city of Aegae. I estimate that Macedonia will soon send another emissary to Turií to find their emissaries and strengthen the protection of Fili. It is even possible that they will make Fili's identity public … "
The Devers understood that the reason why Arisdras made such a detailed analysis of the whereabouts of a Macedonian prince was because he had some bad conjectures about the way he had asked the intelligence department to closely monitor this little Macedonian prince who had nothing to do with the Kingdom of Diónia.
In 369 BC (25 years of the Kingdom of Diónia), when the Dionysian Army conquered Thessaly and established the New Hellenic Union, King Amyntas of Thessaly's northern neighbor, King Alexander of Macedonia, died of illness. His young eldest son, Alexander, succeeded to the throne. Soon after, a noble general in northern Macedonia launched a rebellion and occupied the area near Calgedic. Alexander sent troops to quell the rebellion but suffered a defeat. The rebel army marched south and headed straight for the royal palace, Aegae. The situation was so critical that King Alexander had to send a messenger to Athens for help.
Macedonia and Sparta used to be allies. Alexander should have asked for help from Sparta, but he heard that Sparta was now under the control of the Holy Kingdom of Diónia, and there were rumors in Macedonia that the King of Diónia had killed his father. The people were in a panic, and the young Macedonian king was also afraid. He had no choice but to ask for help from Iphicrates of Athens, because this famous general of Athens had a close relationship with Macedonia, and the former King Amyntas of Macedonia was his adoptive father.
After Iphicrates received the request for help, he indeed made a suggestion to the General Executive Council of Athens. However, Callistratus reminded everyone that although the newly established New Greek Alliance did not restrict its members from using troops against other countries, if Athens sent troops to Macedonia, which was adjacent to Thessaly, it would inevitably arouse the suspicions of Diónia. Therefore, it was best to get the permission of Diónia.
Although everyone was unwilling, they finally agreed to Callistratus' suggestion and sent a messenger to the Council of New Greek Alliance in Turií.
When the Devers received the news, they immediately ordered the troops stationed in Thessaly to rescue the Macedonian royal family and repel the rebel army.
However, during the time when the messenger went back and forth, the Macedonian rebel army broke through the city of Aegae, and King Alexander died in battle. The queen, together with the king's two younger brothers, Paticas and Fili, fled to the south of the Gulf of Terma.
The governor of Thessaly, Hilos, sent a messenger to the Queen of Macedonia to convey the goodwill of the King of Diónia towards Macedonia. The Queen of Macedonia finally let down her guard and asked for help from Diónia, and was willing to let Macedonia join the New Greek Alliance.
However, the messenger of Diónia tactfully said that if Macedonia wanted to join the New Greek Alliance, it had to obtain the consent of more than half of the city-states in the Greek Alliance, which would take a lot of time. However, if Macedonia only formed an alliance with Diónia, just like the alliance with Sparta in the past, then the alliance could be signed immediately, and the Dionysian Army in Thessaly could immediately send troops.
The Queen of Macedonia had no choice but to agree to the messenger's request and sign an alliance with Diónia, acknowledging Diónia as her master.
The border legions in Thessaly were immediately ordered to go north and defeat the rebel army near the city of Pera. After a series of pursuit, they finally captured and killed the Macedonian general who started the rebellion, and recaptured the towns that they had occupied. With the full support of Diónia, the Amyntas family regained their royal power, and Alexander's second brother, Pardicas, became the King of Macedonia.
Throughout the process of putting down the rebellion, the Queen of Alexander and the new king saw the strength of Diónia, and associated it with the enmity between the King of Diónia and Macedonia. So after a discussion, they decided to send their third brother, Philip, to Turií as a hostage to show the loyalty of Macedonia to Diónia.
When the Devers learned of this news, they very clearly expressed their rejection, and personally wrote a letter to comfort Pardicas, saying, "As long as Macedonia remains loyal to Diónia, then Diónia will always guarantee the long-term stability of the Amyntas family in Macedonia, so there is no need for any hostage to maintain the friendship between the two countries."
After reading the letter, Pardicas was very touched, but he would never know that the main reason why the Devers did not accept the fact that Macedonia sent Philip to Turií as a hostage was because he had some understanding of the history of the rise of Macedonia in his previous life.
In his previous life, at this time, Athens and the Thebes had interfered with the political situation of Macedonia, and in the end, Macedonia surrendered to the more powerful Thebes. In order to ensure the loyalty of Macedonia, the Thebes forcibly took the prince Philip as a hostage. It was said that after Philip arrived at the Thebes, he entered the military school established by Ipamilonda to study, and he heard and witnessed the military reform carried out by Ipamilonda in the Thebes, as well as the implementation of various resolutions in the process of the formation and integration of the Thebes led by Perópidas in the process of the formation and integration of the Pioscia Alliance … A few years later, because of the civil strife in Macedonia, this young man in his twenties returned to his homeland and usurped his nephew's throne. He used the knowledge he had learned in the Thebes to create a powerful new army. Not only did he achieve the unification of Macedonia, but he also made it stronger. After that, his son, Alexander, destroyed the Thebes who had once given Philip political and military enlightenment …
The Devers were prepared for a rainy day. Of course, they would not give the talented Philip such an opportunity. As for the loyalty of Macedonia, it was not in the Devers' consideration at all. He even hoped that Macedonia would betray the alliance. In this way, after a few years of reorganization and integration with the Thessaly, Diónia could seize the opportunity to destroy Macedonia and expand its territory in Greece. This would also strengthen the kingdom's power in Greece.
"This Prince Fili is really worrisome!" At this moment, the Devers said cautiously, "Regardless of whether the Macedonian emissary group wants to reveal his identity, since he is here to watch the sports competition, he is an important guest of Diónia. We must ensure his safety!"
Aristiras stole a glance at the Devers and felt that his previous guess seemed to be wrong. He immediately said seriously, "Yes, Your Majesty, we will do our best to ensure Philip's safety!"
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