Chapter 262 Debts Must Be Repaid
General Agathon, who was determined to die, was ultimately unable to fight a decisive battle with Li Ang.
Moreover, he was involuntarily carried by Klose and other strong men to the lord's military camp, where he had a very unpalatable meal - it was said that it was cooked by Leon himself.
The quality of the ingredients is very good, it is veal, which is difficult for the Bacchus people who lack cattle and horses to enjoy.
But it tasted salty and astringent. One side of the steak was burnt, while the other side was bloody and not cooked at all. It looked like poison.
Moreover, it was served in a military lunch box, and there was only a knife but no fork... It was really not decent , and was not what a dinner party should be like at all.
However, Agathon ate the steak happily as if he was taking poison. He poked the steak and took a bite, his mouth full of blood.
It comes out from the uncooked side.
"Why don't you want to trust me? I've always been honest and reliable. If I say I'll treat you to a meal, I mean it... What happened to your chest? Being stabbed by the broken sword shouldn't hurt you, right?"
Li Ang looked at the steak in front of him that was half burnt and half bloody. He didn't dare to eat it and kept muttering to Agasson.
Agathon was rubbing the side of his chest. He was having trouble chewing the steak. He had just swallowed a mouthful with great effort, and the injured ribs were hurting from the action of swallowing.
Leon's steak is really poisonous...even more poisonous than the Red Death of the Snake Cult.
"Sir Leon, I accept your request to stab me with a sword, but can't you use your own sword? Why are you stabbing me with a broken sword... My ribs are broken..."
Agathon took several big gulps of water and finally calmed down.
There was not a drop of wine in Leon's military camp, and guests could only be entertained with boiled water... When the lord went to war, he never let the people of Mettenheim see anything related to wine bottles.
"What? Broken ribs? Are you trying to blackmail me? You're wearing armor! How can a broken sword be so powerful?"
The lord expressed disbelief. He didn't use much strength. Could it be that he had unknowingly mastered the skill of stabbing someone to death without the need for a sword?
Is the effect of Dragon Tears so strong?
It seems that Agasson will have to bleed a lot more...
Li Ang used the broken sword to stab Agasson once - this was mainly to return the broken sword to the general, to show that this marshal does not accept a decisive battle, you take back the broken sword yourself...
This is indeed a formal etiquette between warriors or generals. The enemy sends a broken sword to indicate that they want a fight to the death. If you do not accept the challenge and plan to negotiate, or if the two countries happen to stop fighting at this time, then you should indeed send the broken sword back.
This means that I will not die, and neither will you. I do not regard you as my enemy, and there is no need for you to hold a memorial ceremony for both of us. Moreover, you have already gained my respect and will not lose your honor because of this.
However, Li Ang did not stab him for revenge. Stabbing someone with a broken stick certainly could not be considered revenge. Li Ang just wanted the troops of both sides to see this scene and save his face.
Of course, Leon regained his face with interest - after he stabbed Agathon, Klose and others rushed forward, holding shields, and took Agathon to their own military camp before Agathon's subordinates could react.
This could probably be considered as capturing an enemy general... But after Agasson realized that he was not injured, he loudly ordered the troops to stand by at the Qicha Fortress, and he himself went to eat Li Ang's meal obediently.
In fact, the lord was determined to make General Agathon owe him a favor. After finally finding an opportunity, Li Ang would of course take the opportunity to become the creditor - this was much more profitable than fighting to the death...
Anyway, it can be considered a blessing in disguise. There is no need to make an enemy.
Now that the two countries are hostile, Agathon's sneak attack on him was just to serve his country, and he really shouldn't be regarded as an enemy. Li Ang still knows the difference between an enemy and an enemy.
But Wendy shed so much blood to save herself, so the Bacchus must bleed too...
Leon looked at Agathon, thinking about how to blackmail Emperor Marius.
Yes, the lord's logic has always been fair. Agasson stabbed me with a sword, intending to kill me, so now he owes me a life.
The lord never leaves debts to be collected overnight; they must be collected on the spot.
Since he did not die and the actual loss he suffered was a dragon tear, Agasson certainly did not have to pay with his life, but he had to pay double the compensation - at least several times higher than the value of the dragon tear, including mental damage compensation, medical expenses, loss of work time, loss of army time, horse and vehicle transportation fees... In short, everything had to be charged to him.
Since Wendy has lost so much blood, it is necessary for those who care about Agathon to bleed as well. But it is said that Agathon's parents are both dead...so Marius, the patriarch, can only bleed.
Very fair.
"Count Leon... cough... never mind, my minor injury is not worth mentioning. But your injury... are you alright?"
Agathon still couldn't believe that Li Ang was still alive and kicking, and his spirits were much better than his own...
"How can I be fine after being stabbed? I almost died..."
The Lord pointed to his heart and said, "But my doctor is quite skilled. It cost a huge price and used a lot of dragon tears to save me... So, you owe me a huge debt now!"
"I acknowledge the debt...but...can you promise that you won't attack the empire?"
Agathon looked at the half piece of poisonous food left in the military lunch box, put down the knife and looked at Li Ang.
Leon's food is horrible...
I almost died just now when I swallowed a piece with great effort... He usually eats this kind of bloody stuff...
Would he really eat children?
Agathon couldn't help but shudder.
"Why would I want to attack the Bacchus Empire now? Your country is so poor now, and if I conquer it, I will have to spend money on disaster relief..."
The lord waved his hand and asked Klose to take the lunch box away, and took out the map.
"So where is your army going?"
Agathon now believed it.
He knew that if Leon really wanted to attack Bacchus, then the sword that stabbed him an hour ago should have been the Griffin Sword on Leon. Leon did not retaliate and kill him after being seriously injured by him, which meant that he really did not want to be an enemy of Bacchus.
Not affected by any personal grudges, he is determined to conquer the world...
This kind of magnanimity and broad-mindedness... indeed only Emperor Marius can be compared with him, not myself.
This really counts as me owing him a sword, and I should repay the debt.
"Look, I'm planning to go to Ashcoman. You should know that place, right? It's the largest port city in Desha, and it's only separated from Siyuan City by a bay."
Li Ang asked, pointing at the map.
Agathon certainly knew Ashcombe. In fact, the place had been occupied by the Bacchus Empire for a short period of time - that was more than twenty years ago, before Emperor Marius came to power, and Agathon was still a child at that time.
For the Bacchus Empire, Ashcoman is indeed a very important port city - it allows the capital Siyuan City to have a large city across the sea, which can not only support each other and ensure the safety of the capital, but also quickly create a lot of wealth through short-distance maritime trade.
Ashcombe and Siyuan City are separated by a bay several hundred miles wide, which is wide enough for even small offshore boats to sail through. However, the cultures and outputs on both sides are completely different. This kind of medium- and short-distance ocean trade is the lowest cost and most profitable.
And Ashcoman can provide a large number of war horses to the Bacchus Empire.
The previous emperor of Bacchus once captured Ashcoman, but that emperor also caused heavy losses to the Shadow Legion because of the capture of Ashcoman. Agasson's father died in battle at that time.
But the result of the assault on Eichcommen was not good. The hasty deployment of troops and the huge casualties not only led to the empire being attacked on two fronts, but also almost exhausted the national strength.
And Eichkoman was only held for more than half a year before it was taken back by the Principality of Desha.
Everything did not get better until Emperor Marius, who was then the consul of Siyuan City, negotiated peace with the D'Shar, threatened the Senate with the D'Shar army, and seized the throne in a nearly coercive manner.
Under the leadership of Marius, the empire regained its vitality, and in the past twenty years, Agathon grew from an orphan to a general under Marius.
"That's not an easy place to fight... Lord Leon, and I doubt you can hold on to it after you conquer it... Besides, it's too far away from your territory!"
Agathon shook his head. Since he owed Leon a sword, he would naturally help Leon. But he clearly remembered that the Bacchus Empire had sent out all its elite troops, but still ended up with a miserable victory.
If it weren't for the fact that the naval fleet of the Bacchus Empire was indeed powerful, none of the soldiers stationed in Ashcoman might have been able to return home.
"Yes, I also think that place is too far from my territory. So, I plan to give Ashcomb to the Bacchus Empire... Of course, the Empire has to exchange the place for it."
Leon smiled at Agasson and said, "I said I would form an alliance with the Bacchus Empire. I will be responsible for conquering Ashcoman, and you only need to send troops to defend it and provide fleet support to protect my retreat. After this, Ashcoman will belong to the Bacchus Empire... I know you have always wanted to get this port..."
Agasson looked at the map, then at Leon, the expression on his face gradually becoming one of disbelief, and then gradually turned into admiration.
"Huh... I don't understand... This kind of cooperation is of course a great thing for Bacchus, but what do you want to gain?"
General Agathon is just a general after all. If Emperor Marius were here, he would definitely not say this...
"I am a businessman, Agathon. For a businessman, everything has a price. Even the sword you stabbed me with has a price tag - I spent at least three... five... eight dragon tears to heal the wound. You now owe me a huge debt of eight dragon tears! Agathon... I am a businessman. I intend to give you a chance to repay your debt. Ashcomb is very wealthy, you know..."
Li Ang stared into Agasson's eyes and counted on his fingers to raise the standard for the number of dragon tears he requested from three to eight.
"Dragon tears? Is there really such a thing in the world?"
Agathon began to feel confused: "You said I owed a debt, I admit that... but I have never seen the dragon's tears you mentioned, how can I pay it back? Oh, everything has a price... but I really have no money."
Agathon spread out his hands, like a debtor who refused to pay back his debts.
"No way... You have been in the Shadow Legion for so many years, haven't you learned anything from Governor Levius?"
Li Ang also spread his hands: "Levius is a capable man. Even when he was so poor that he hid in the mines, he still provided me with several carts of gold and silver treasures..."
"Well... but you don't want me to go to Ashcomb and scrape the land, do you?"
The way Agasson looked at Leon was indeed as if he was looking at a devil who eats children.
"What else can we do? The empire is so poor that it has to ask me for a loan! How can you get the money to pay off your debts if you don't exploit the land? To be honest, apart from the land, you lack everything else now..."
Li Ang shook his head, and when he said the word "land", his voice was particularly heavy...
"Okay... I understand. You want the territory, right? You've even figured out how to do it... Are you planning to let me trade my territory for Ashcombe? But my territory is the Leila Fortress, which is a military fortress. I can't make the decision..."
Agathon was actually very smart, and he understood Leon's intention, but he still spread his hands and shook his head, like a debtor who didn't want to pay back his debts.
"Agathon, don't play dumb. I said 'you', not 'you'! I am a fair person. At least half of the debt you owe me must be repaid by Emperor Marius! Go find Emperor Marius and tell him my request. He will definitely make the decision... and he also owes me 500,000 dinars. They both owe me money. You two must have a lot in common, and Emperor Marius will definitely know what I want..."
Li Ang twisted his neck and turned to look at the Qicha Fortress across the camp: "By the way, I can make you a hero of the empire... Before you return home, you can burn down the Qicha Fortress!"
"What? Are you... serious?"
Agathon stood up in amazement and almost knocked the table over.
"Don't be so excited... Isn't it just burning an empty castle? Qicha Fortress has been conquered by you, and it is no longer an undefeated legend. Burning it is the best commemoration of it. Moreover, only by burning it can Emperor Marius feel at ease to send troops..."
Leon looked at the cold and heavy bastion and sent Agasson back.
In fact, there were many other reasons for burning down the Qicha Fortress, but Li Ang did not mention them and Agasson did not ask.
The next day, the Qicha Fortress was besieged by Count Leon's army and burned down by the famous imperial general Agathon. The fire lasted for several days.
This huge bastion, which had never been conquered in 150 years, was destroyed after the first fall.
There was widespread grief in Sarleon City. Many middle-class people who had money but no power planned to move to other places after hearing the news.
The Sarleon Kingdom Marshal Count Leon sent a reassurance order to Sarleon City, saying that he had recaptured the Sava River Fort and was about to invade D'Shar. Sarleon Kingdom will be as stable as a mountain with this marshal, please rest assured...
Afterwards, the army marched forward in a massive force, and under the blazing flames of the Qicha Fortress, it took only three days to advance to the south of the Sava River Fort and the east of the Turda Fortress.
