: : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Retrieve the wine glass from the shocked Turks, leaning against the windowsill to sip and enjoy the afterglow of the distant sea view of Thessalonika, Baptist said lightly: "It is very suitable to take pictures and lighting from here. In addition to being too close to the residential area, sometimes the protesting Greeks cursed me to me a little disturbed my office. But you can see everything in the whole city, including the olive forest in the wilderness outside the city. If you want to complete this layout, there is another prerequisite for you to lead your troops there to ambush the invading enemy."

"So you are going to let me fight with the Epirus and the Bulgarians here? You're crazy!" Looking at Baptist's sloppy painting, Arslan raised his head, and an incredible expression appeared on his face. The other party's intention was as crazy as this drawing. According to the Dean Malay newspaper, the number of Bulgarians and Epirus' coalition forces exceeded 40,000, but all the garrison forces in the city were less than 10,000. They took the initiative to fight outside the city and even ambush Arslan felt that this was a decision that only fools would make.

But the Latins didn't think so at all. He pointed to the map behind him and said, "The only possibility that Bulgaria and Mikhail Ducas could siege Thessalonika so unscrupulously was that they had reached a tacit understanding with Henry of Constantinople. It seemed that I did underestimate the emperor before. If they had really reached a secret agreement, who would you think would be the one who would make a move in the back?"

A word woke up the dreamer and looked at the Roman Empire territory map divided by different colors on the map. Arslan was startled and sweated coldly, blurted out and said, "Venetian!"

"Yes, it's only them." Baptist calmly placed the wine glass on the edge of the islands scattered in the Aegean Sea on the map, and the swaying wine wet the map. Every place soaked is a sea stronghold for the current Venetian colonization and expansion. Perhaps in the past two years, these merchants and mercenaries have not had a high presence on the territory of the Roman Empire, but when they show their fangs, they will definitely bite another piece of meat.

A sneer appeared slightly, and the Latin said to Arslan: "We must take the initiative. If we stick to this city, we will only die. The threat of the Venetians at sea, the Macedonian nobles who are uncoordinated with us, will become our deadly flaws. And those ignorant people, now their anger is not threatening, but if they cooperate with panic, then Thessalonika will not be able to defend it even if it is ten times stronger."

"But now the storm..."

"It's just a temptation that doesn't hurt or itchy. Those people don't give up, but as long as the princess of Odosia is still there, they dare not act rashly." As Latins, Baptist still knows the essence of the Greek nobles' harsh nature.

...

...

...

A few days later, Macedonia, the city of Thessalonika.

The rapid sound of horse hooves broke the tranquility of the wilderness outside the city. The Roman cavalry led by the red eagle flag slowly drove the horse to the high hill where you could see the outline of the entire Thessalonika and all the city defense deployments on the city. Behind these cavalry, there were densely packed large armies gathered like clouds, and they were heading towards the city. Emperor Mikhail, wearing purple cloaks and golden armor, was coming here with his Epirus army.

The Bulgarian army met with them. They also completed the plunder of the cities of North Macedonia not long ago and arrived at the city of Thessalonika, fulfilling their alliance with Epirus - to capture the capital of Macedonia in front of them.

Several Bulgarian nobles were sent to the alliance. They came lightly with a small number of cavalry guards behind them.

Looking at their arrival, Emperor Mikhail did not have a warm welcome, but was obviously displeased. The Bulgarians obviously did not take him, the emperor of the Roman Empire, and Tsar Borier did not come, but even the Connontin Palace was in charge, and only sent a few irrelevant nobles. For the sake of face, Mikhail Ducas did not express his dissatisfaction, but said lightly:

"I am glad that you have joined my army to fight against the rebels of Thessalonika, the Bulgarians. The Empire will always thank you for your help, and I would like to express my sincere thanks to your Tsar on my behalf."

However, several nobles looked sad and angry, "We greet the Greek emperor in the name of the Tsar. Please allow us to kill everyone here after conquering this city, even the chickens and dogs in the city should not be spared."

"The wealth will be all your money and the people of the city will belong to me. Isn't this what I negotiated with Connontin Palace before? I can leave it to you without any blame for the robbery of the villages and towns of North Macedonia, but if you kill Thessalonika, only leave it to me for an empty city, who will I rule." Unexpectedly, as soon as I met, the barbaric Bulgarians made such excessive demands, and Mikhail Ducas was immediately displeased.

But the Bulgarian nobles were still full of grief and anger. One noble explained the reason why they wanted to do this: "Even if Your Majesty gave us ten times the wealth, it would be difficult to vent our hatred. The day before yesterday, our army was at the city, but we did not expect to be a traitor. In the olive forest outside the city, the Thessalonika people pretended to be His Majesty's banner and suddenly attacked, causing my vanguard to be wiped out." Speaking of this, the Bulgarian man was scattered, and he had not informed all the real situation of the day. In fact, the Bulgarians who were ambushed and annihilated were greatly humiliated after their death. When the subsequent large troops arrived, the Bulgarians saw that the corpse with their heads was spelled into a string of letters in the place, which was spelled, which was "The enemy of Rome will be punished by heaven."

"Your Majesty, this time the Tsar has announced in public that the Greeks in the city will not let the last drop of blood flow, and the Bulgarian warriors will never put down the sword in their hands." Several other Bulgarian nobles also responded with hatred.

Now Emperor Mikhail understood why the Bulgaria side only sent these indignant nobles to join the alliance. It was not just to come and give him eye drops and rob him by fire. It seemed that the bargaining chips given before could not satisfy these bargains. Although he was unhappy, Mikhail Dukas still ordered people to appease the Bulgarians in front of him and ordered people to send them to the clerk of the country.

Since we have already joined forces with the Bulgarian army, the city of Thessalonika in front of us is bound to win.

...

At the same time, many military servants and soldiers on the top of Thessalonika were busy. Above the city wall, there was a black fox hunting battle flag. Arslan was there, staring at the every move of the Bulgarian and Epirus coalition forces outside. He defeated the Bulgarian striker in the olive forest ambush outside the city, successfully winning valuable time for their plans, but the situation they face is still not optimistic.

Although they came from afar, the Epirus army made sufficient logistics skills. The tens of thousands of people were arranged in an orderly manner. With a quick deployment, the opponent was not in a hurry to siege the city. However, the other party was not in a hurry to siege the city. It was obviously because the Bulgarian army suffered losses and they were vigilant. Heavy infantry protected the Epirus archers in front, and there were mobile fully armed knights on both wings. At the same time, a large number of craftsmen and engineers were built in large quantities in the city, cutting down all the trees that could be seen, and obviously preparing to build siege equipment.

It seems that they still have time. Arslan immediately ordered the Turkic soldiers and Italian mercenaries behind him to step up their work. "Each section of the city wall of Thessalonika needs to be divided into various teams to be responsible, and must be dispersed and unfolded. Do not join in groups without permission because of panic, nor can they escape in the face of the battle. Each Turkic man cooperates with an archer and two shield spearmen. It is important to know that we are responsible for the task of defending the front wall to block the enemy. As long as we defend here, the enemies outside the city will not be able to get involved in the city. Do not fear sacrifice, because we have already suffered

People and money follow their oaths, but this does not mean that we do not know how to adapt. At the right time, I will order you to retreat to the lower line of defense, and at this time it is even more impossible to lose your own stance. When I command the counterattack, you must not cross my long sword behind you." The Turkic men stood at the head of the city with flying flags, and looked at the soldiers below who were fighting with him and who fought with Justinian below. They came from all over the place and believed in different languages, but now they all faced the Epirus and the Bulgarian coalition forces all over the mountains.

When all the defenses were ready in the city of Thessalonika, Mikhail and the Bulgarian coalition gathered into a huge formation, and finally approached them like a tsunami. The light infantry from the Bulgarian mountains walked quickly; following behind were the Bulgarian cavalry and shooting them and the archers and horses of the vanguards, like a pair of wings guarding the advancement infantry; at the end of the formation was the Epirus step wearing heavy armor and carrying a large shield.

The soldiers were the main force brought by Emperor Mikhail. These people were all wealthy people who fled Thrace and Macedonia to Epirus. They were grateful to Mikhail Ducas and were very loyal. In addition to these, the Bulgarians and Epirus also had elite troops, such as the hired Latin knights and the Magyar Rangers. All kinds of corps were filled with these figures. In common, as one of the coalition forces, they were all ready to start a massacre at any time.

In the center of the military formation, the most eye-catching counterweight stone thrower is the tall size that is almost at a glance at the city wall from a distance. The deterrence it brings far exceeds the tens of thousands of armored armor and spears of Bulgarian Epirus coalition.
Chapter completed!